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At least 703 records · Page 39Linked to original sources
USGS1952

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1952

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1953

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1953

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1954

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1954

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1955

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1955

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1966

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1960, 1965, and 1966

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1963

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1963

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1965

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1963, 1964, and 1965

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1965

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record book 1965

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) record books are annual journals in which field observations of eruptive activity at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, on the Island of Hawaiʻi, were compiled by HVO staff for most years from 1912 through early 1966. In addition to descriptive observations, the record books also contain hundreds of annotated photographs and sketches, as well as temperature and transit measurements. When photographs are included, the camera settings and film types used are noted. The field notes, sketches, and photographs used to compile the record books provide an unparalleled record of eruptive activity and were the basis for published newspaper reports and periodic bulletins, such as the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory bulletins and The volcano letter . HVO staff also painstakingly prepared a second copy of each early record book, virtually identical to the original, complete with photographs and sketches. The original version of the record book was kept at HVO, while the duplicate went to the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which was created by a group of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, businessmen to promote HVO’s work. The Hawaiian Volcano Research Association, which dissolved decades ago, held the duplicate books in Honolulu, where they were more readily accessible to the public. After 1923, HVO stopped duplicating the books—at least, no duplicate records for subsequent years have been found. During the decade of the 1940s, preparation of the record books stopped altogether. In 1952, compilation of the record books resumed and continued, with long gaps, until early 1966. Entries in these later volumes are sparse, and these books are little more than photo albums of the episodic eruptions of Kīlauea. The original record books were held at HVO and, later, at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. In 1972, the original record books for the years 1912 through 1939 were transferred to the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu, for safekeeping. These record books are now stored in archival boxes at that institution (accession number 172.265). The duplicate set of record books held by the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association were bound into volumes at an unknown date and turned over to the U.S. Geological Survey. This set of record books, spanning 1912 through 1923, is now housed in the rare book room of the U.S. Geological Survey Library in Reston, Virginia (catalog number 220(950) H3d). The record books for 1952 through early 1966 remain in storage at HVO. After 1955, typed annotations were no longer placed in the record books, and only photographs, most with captions, were included. Although the volumes titled “Record Book” end with the 1955 volume, the photograph albums that followed are similar, and the record book designation is retained for simplicity. Note that the photographs in these albums were not all originally arranged in chronological order.

Hawaii↗
USGS1999

NEOCHIM: An electrochemical method for environmental application

Ion migration and electroosmosis are the principal processes underlying electrokinetic remediation of hazardous wastes from soils. These processes are a response of charged species to an applied electrical current and they are accompanied by electrolysis of water at the electrodes through which the current is applied. Electrolysis results in the formation of OH- at the cathode and H+ at the anode. The current drives the OH- and H+ thus formed from the electrodes, through the soil and to the electrode of opposite charge. Introduction of OH- and H+ into the soil being treated modifies soil chemistry and can interfere with either the collection or immobilization of hazardous waste ions. The introduction of either OH- or H+ to the soil can be problematic to electrokinetic remediation but the problem caused by OH- has been the focus of most researchers. The problem has been addressed by flushing the OH- from the soil near the cathode or treating the soil with buffers. These treatments would apply as well to soils affected by H+. With the NEOCHIM technology, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for use as a sampling technique in exploration for buried ore deposits, OH- and H+ are retained in the inner compartment of two-compartment electrodes and are thus prevented from reaching the soil. This enables the extraction of cations and anions, including anionic forms of toxic metals such as HAsO42-. One of the principal attributes of NEOCHIM is the large volume of soil from which ions can be extracted. It is mathematically demonstrable that NEOCHIM extraction volumes can be orders of magnitude greater than volumes typically sampled in more conventional geochemical exploration methods or for environmental sampling. The technology may also be used to introduce selected ions into the soil that affect the solubility of ceratin ions present in the soil. Although field tests for mineral exploration have shown NEOCHIM extraction efficiencies of about 25-35%, laboratory experiments suggest that significantly higher efficiencies are possible. The attributes of NEOCHIM combined with relatively low cost of electrical power, indicate that the technology may be useful for remediation and monitoring of hazardous waste sites. Of particular importance is that NEOCHIM extractions affect only dissolved and electrically charged species, hence those prone to move in groundwater.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a technology called NEOCHIM for use as a sampling technique in exploration for buried deposits. With this technology, OH- and H+ are retained in the inner compartment of two-compartment electrodes and are thus prevented from reaching the soil. This enables the extraction of cations and anions. Laboratory experiments suggest extraction efficiencies higher than 25-35%.

Journal of Geochemical Exploration↗
USGS2025

Assessing decadal-scale coastal change likelihood to define the accuracy and application of scientific information

Defining the accuracy and uncertainties of scientific data products is critical to the usability and trustworthiness of scientific information for environmental management and conservation purposes, such as coastal resource prioritization, design, adaptation, and mitigation. The U.S. Geological Survey has a new decadal-scale coastal change assessment product that synthesizes nearly two dozen coastal datasets. A supervised machine-learning framework is used to combine existing datasets that describe the landscape and the hazards that affect it to determine the coastal change likelihood (CCL) in the coming decade at a resolution of 10 m per pixel for the NE United States from Maine to Virginia. Here, results from a series of statistical tests conducted on source data, the supervised classification, and the CCL outcomes as compared with historical land-cover change are presented. The overall accuracy of the aggregated land-cover dataset that serves as the foundation to which other source datasets are appended is 94%. The supervised learning classification that determines the final CCL output has an overall accuracy of 92%. The CCL predictions of high expected coastal change were consistent with 95% of the coastal and low-elevation landscape change in the last 20 years, as recorded by the Coastal Change Analysis Program land-cover change atlas. Results suggest that CCL provides accurate estimates of coastal landscape change in the next decade that are consistent with recent observed change. Additionally, best practices for applying CCL for planning purposes are outlined, and citing limitations, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for improved accuracy and further investigation are considered.

Journal of Coastal Research↗
USGS2003

Seabird tissue archival and monitoring project: Egg collections and analytical results 1999-2002

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began the Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) to collect and cryogenically bank tissues from seabirds in Alaska for future retrospective analysis of anthropogenic contaminants. The approach of STAMP was similar to that of the Alaska Marine Mammal Tissue Archival Project (AMMTAP). AMMTAP was started in 1987 by NIST and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as part of the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program sponsored by the Minerals Management Service. Presently sponsored by the USGS-BRD, AMMTAP continues its work as part of a larger national program, the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. AMMTAP developed carefully designed sampling and specimen banking protocols. Since 1987, AMMTAP has collected tissues from marine mammals taken in Alaska Native subsistence hunts and has cryogenically banked these tissues at the NIST National Biomonitoring Specimen Bank (NBSB). Through its own analytical work and working in partnership with other researchers both within and outside Alaska, AMMTAP has helped to develop a substantial database on contaminants in Alaska marine mammals. In contrast, data and information is limited on contaminants in Alaska seabirds, which are similar to marine mammals in that they feed near the top of the food chain and have the potential for accumulating anthropogenic contaminants. During its early planning stages, STAMP managers identified the seabird egg as the first tissue of choice for study by the project. There is a relatively long history of using bird eggs for environmental monitoring and for investigating the health status of bird populations. Since 1998, protocols for collecting and processing eggs, and cryogenically banking egg samples have been developed by STAMP (see York et al. 2001). Eggs are being collected on an annual basis for several species at nesting colonies throughout Alaska. Aliquots of these egg samples are being analyzed on a regular basis for persistent organic pollutants and mercury. Results of this work have been published in scientific journals (Christopher et al. 2002) and in conference proceedings (Kucklick et al. 2002; Vander Pol et al. 2002a, 2002b). The intent of this report is to provide an up-to-date description of STAMP. The report contains the most recent egg collection inventory, analytical data, preliminary interpretations based on these data, and a discussion of possible future directions of the project.

Report↗
USGS2018

Multi-year high-frequency hydrothermal monitoring of selected high-threat Cascade Range volcanoes

From 2009 to 2015 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) systematically monitored hydrothermal behavior at selected Cascade Range volcanoes in order to define baseline hydrothermal and geochemical conditions. Gas and water data were collected regularly at 25 sites on 10 of the highest-risk volcanoes in the Cascade Range. These sites include near-summit fumarole groups and springs/streams that show clear evidence of magmatic influence (high 3 He/ 4 He ratios and/or large fluxes of magmatic CO 2 or heat). Site records consist mainly of hourly temperature and hydrothermal-flux data. Having established baseline conditions during a multiyear quiescent period, the USGS reduced monitoring frequency from 2015 to present. The archived monitoring data are housed at (doi:10.5066/F72N5088). These data (1) are suitable for retrospective comparison with other continuous geophysical monitoring data and (2) will provide context during future episodes of volcanic unrest, such that unrest-related variations at these thoroughly characterized sites will be more clearly recognizable. Relatively high-frequency year-round data are essential to achieve these objectives, because many of the time series reveal significant diurnal, seasonal, and inter-annual variability that would tend to mask unrest signals in the absence of baseline data. Here we characterize normal variability for each site, suggest strategies to detect future volcanic unrest, and explore deviations from background associated with recent unrest.

California, Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2023

Assessing potential effects of climate change on highway-runoff flows and loads in southern New England by using planning-level space-for-time analyses

Transportation agencies need information about the potential effects of climate change on the volume, quality, and treatment of stormwater to mitigate potential effects of runoff on receiving waters. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Federal Highway Administration used the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project tool and the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model to perform space-for-time stormwater quality analyses. This study indicated that spatial variations in precipitation statistics within and adjacent to southern New England are greater than projected climate-related changes for the centroid of this region. A dilution-factor analysis indicated that highway runoff would become a greater proportion of downstream flows if average event volumes or time between event midpoints increase and would become a smaller proportion of downstream flows if event durations increase. Highway-runoff yield analyses for total phosphorus (TP) indicate that uncertainty in water quality statistics results in variations in long-term average yields from about 1.69 to 7.96 times higher than the lowest TP values simulated. In comparison, variations in precipitation statistics cause yield variations that ranged from 1.41 to 1.76 for the different simulated concentrations. An analysis of stormwater treatment indicated that uncertainties in runoff treatment variables are also larger than the magnitude of climate variations. This study does not question the potentially large climate-related changes in hydrologic and hydraulic variables expected to occur in the foreseeable future. It does indicate that uncertainties in the current data and potential effects of land use change on stormwater quality and treatment variables are larger than the projected effects of climate change.

Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts↗
USGS2011

Value of a dual-polarized gap-filling radar in support of southern California post-fire debris-flow warnings

A portable truck-mounted C-band Doppler weather radar was deployed to observe rainfall over the Station Fire burn area near Los Angeles, California, during the winter of 2009/10 to assist with debris-flow warning decisions. The deployments were a component of a joint NOAA–U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research effort to improve definition of the rainfall conditions that trigger debris flows from steep topography within recent wildfire burn areas. A procedure was implemented to blend various dual-polarized estimators of precipitation (for radar observations taken below the freezing level) using threshold values for differential reflectivity and specific differential phase shift that improves the accuracy of the rainfall estimates over a specific burn area sited with terrestrial tipping-bucket rain gauges. The portable radar outperformed local Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) National Weather Service network radars in detecting rainfall capable of initiating post-fire runoff-generated debris flows. The network radars underestimated hourly precipitation totals by about 50%. Consistent with intensity–duration threshold curves determined from past debris-flow events in burned areas in Southern California, the portable radar-derived rainfall rates exceeded the empirical thresholds over a wider range of storm durations with a higher spatial resolution than local National Weather Service operational radars. Moreover, the truck-mounted C-band radar dual-polarimetric-derived estimates of rainfall intensity provided a better guide to the expected severity of debris-flow events, based on criteria derived from previous events using rain gauge data, than traditional radar-derived rainfall approaches using reflectivity–rainfall relationships for either the portable or operational network WSR-88D radars. Part of the reason for the improvement was due to siting the radar closer to the burn zone than the WSR-88Ds, but use of the dual-polarimetric variables improved the rainfall estimation by ~12% over the use of traditional Z – R relationships.

Journal of Hydrometeorology↗
USGS2019

Heat flow in the Western Arctic Ocean (Amerasian Basin)

From 1963 to 1973 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured heat flow at 356 sites in the Amerasian Basin (Western Arctic Ocean) from a drifting ice island (T-3). The resulting measurements, which are unevenly distributed on Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge (AMR) and in Canada and Nautilus basins, greatly expand available heat flow data for the Arctic Ocean. Average T-3 heat flow is ~54.7 ± 11.3 mW m-2, and Nautilus Basin, including Mendeleev Plain, is the only well-surveyed area (~13% of data) with significantly higher average heat flow (63.8 mW m-2). Heat flow and bathymetry are not correlated at a large scale, and turbiditic surficial sediments (Canada and Nautilus basins) have higher heat flow than the sediments that blanket the AMR. Thermal gradients are mostly near-linear, implying that conductive heat transport dominates and that near-seafloor sediments are in thermal equilibrium with overlying bottom waters. Combining the heat flow data with modern seismic imagery suggests that some of the observed heat flow variability may be explained by local changes in sediment thickness or lithology or the presence of basement faults that channel circulating seawater. A thermal model that incorporates thermal conductivity variations along a profile from Canada Basin (thick sediment on mostly oceanic crust) to Alpha Ridge (thin sediment over thick magmatic units associated with the High Arctic Large Igneous Province) predicts heat flow lower than that observed on Alpha Ridge. This, along with other observations, implies that circulating fluids modulate conductive heat flow and contribute to high variability in the T-3 dataset. .

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS2012

Crustal structure and composition of the southern Foothills Metamorphic Belt, Sierra Nevada, California, from seismic data

The Foothills Metamorphic Belt is an accreted terrane consisting of Paleozoic and Mesozoic metamorphic rocks that separates the Great Valley from the Sierra Nevada batholith in northern and central California. Until recently, the only available geophysical data for this area were reconnaissance refraction surveys, and gravity and magnetic data. New insights into the structure of the deep crust are provided by the interpretation of a seismic reflection profile (CC‐2), acquired in 1984 by the U.S. Geological Survey at the southern end of the Foothills Metamorphic Belt. Our interpretation is constrained by a new seismic velocity model derived from coincident microearthquake data. Earthquake hypocenters that occur at unusually great depths of 12 to 30 km make the data set particularly useful for obtaining deep crustal velocity information. The velocity model shows velocities of 5.2 to 6.3 km s −1 for the upper 12 km of the crust, and 6.7 to 6.8 km s −1 from 12 km to an estimated Moho at 32 km. The upper crustal velocities correspond to metamorphic rocks and serpentinites of the Foothills Metamorphic Belt as well as to diorites and granodiorites of the Sierra Nevada batholith, while the lower crustal velocities are interpreted to represent intermediate to mafic granulites. The majority of the earthquake hypocenters as well as a 6.7 km s −1 layer in the velocity model corresponds in depth to thick zones of west dipping midcrustal reflections that may represent major shear zones formed during the late Jurassic Nevadan orogeny or synbatholithic ductile shear zones that accommodated crustal extension associated with batholith intrusion. These reflections are truncated updip by an inferred subvertical contact that coincides with the western edge of the Sierra Nevada batholith and the southward trace of the Bear Mountains fault zone. The updip truncation of midcrustal shear zones and high lower crustal velocities indicate that strike‐slip faulting and magmatic underplating can be important processes during the docking and welding of an accreted terrane.

California↗
USGS1996

Crustal structure of the Colorado Plateau, Arizona: Application of new long-offset seismic data analysis techniques

The Colorado Plateau is a large crustal block in the southwestern United States that has been raised intact nearly 2 km above sea level since Cretaceous marine sediments were deposited on its surface. Controversy exists concerning the thickness of the plateau crust and the source of its buoyancy. Interpretations of seismic data collected on the plateau vary as to whether the crust is closer to 40 or 50 km thick. A thick crust could support the observed topography of the Colorado Plateau isostatically, while a thinner crust would indicate the presence of an underlying low-density mantle. This paper reports results on long-offset seismic data collected during the 1989 segment of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific to Arizona Crustal Experiment that extended from the Transition Zone into the Colorado Plateau in northwest Arizona. We apply two new methods to analyze long-offset data that employ finite difference travel time calculations: (1) a first-arrival time inverter to find upper crustal velocity structure and (2) a forward-modeling technique that allows the direct use of the inverted upper crustal solution in modeling secondary reflected arrivals. We find that the crustal thickness increases from 30 km beneath the metamorphic core complexes in the southern Basin and Range province to about 42 km beneath the northern Transition Zone and southern Colorado Plateau margin. We observe some crustal thinning (to ∼37 km thick) and slightly higher lower crustal velocities farther inboard; beneath the Kaibab uplift on the north rim of the Grand Canyon the crust thickens to a maximum of 48 km. We observe a nonuniform crustal thickness beneath the Colorado Plateau that varies by ∼15% and corresponds approximately to variations in topography with the thickest crust underlying the highest elevations. Crustal compositions (as inferred from seismic velocities) appear to be the same beneath the Colorado Plateau as those in the Basin and Range province to the southwest, implying that the plateau crust represents an unextended version of the Basin and Range. Some of the variability in crustal structure appears to correspond to preserved lithospheric discontinuities that date back to the Proterozoic Era.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS2025

Changes in phosphorus concentration and flux from 2011 to 2023 in major U.S. tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes

Reducing phosphorus (P) flux to the Great Lakes is critical for improving water quality and controlling eutrophication. We used 13 water years (2011–2023) of U.S. Geological Survey data from 24 major U.S. tributaries (representing 47% of the U.S. Great Lakes watershed area) to evaluate temporal changes in orthophosphate (PO 4 -P) and total P (TP) using Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season. We assessed actual and flow-normalized P concentrations and fluxes. Between 2011 and 2023, P concentrations and fluxes declined in many tributaries, although the extent and significance of these declines varied. Decreases were more common and statistically likely for TP than PO 4 -P, and several high-loading watersheds had modest or non-significant changes. Flow-normalized PO 4 -P:TP flux ratios increased in over half the tributaries, suggesting that even where P reductions occurred, reductions in the more bioavailable P fraction were proportionally smaller. Actual P fluxes were strongly correlated with streamflow, and year-to-year variability in actual fluxes was, on average, three times greater than variability related to trends in flow-normalized fluxes. This underscores the role of hydrology in modulating P export and highlights how changing precipitation and runoff patterns can obscure or counteract management progress. Spring accounted for the largest share of annual P flux in most tributaries, though many showed declining spring contributions. Our basin-wide analysis reveals that while management efforts may have yielded progress in reducing TP in many watersheds, additional strategies would be needed to address PO 4 -P reductions and account for changing hydrology, especially in high-contributing watersheds.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗