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USGS2007

Urgent processing and control of lunar data

There is an urgent, time-critical need to begin tying together (geodetically controlling) all past and current lunar data, and to establish the cartographic foundation needed to make maximum use of future planned lunar data. Proper control of lunar datails required to properly support both lunar science and exploration, and at present we know of no plans within NASA to fund such work adequately. The utility of past and future lunar data will be severely hampered if they cannot be correlated/compared with each other or if the uncertainties in the positional accuracies are not well characterized. Since “required capabilities” and “technology developments” are on the primary list of issues for this workshop [1], it is clear that this issue is not only appropriate but critical to discuss and that strong recommendations must be made to address this problem. This white paper summarizes more detailed discussions that we have presented earlier [2].

Conference Paper↗

USGS2020

Preserving meander bend geometry through scale

Stream meander geometry is a function of hydrologic, geologic, and anthropogenic forces. Meander morphometrics are used in geomorphic classification, ecological characterization, and tectonic and hydrologic change detection. Thus, detailed measurement and classification of meander geometry is imperative to multiscale representation of hydrographic features, which raises important questions. What meander geometries are important to preserve in multi-scale databases? How are geometries measured? How are they preserved? Is the choice between preservation of geometry or use of classification attributes? Questions related to multiscale measurement and representation of hydrographic features continue to emerge with increased spatial and temporal data collection. A key metric for understanding meander bend geometry is sinuosity. The most common measure of sinuosity is the length of a feature divided by the distance between stream head and mouth. The measure relays deviation from a straight line but nothing about meander wavelength. There is not a clear consensus on methods for measuring meander geometry, much less efficiently, at scales made viable with increased data resolution. Here we propose a method for automated characterization of meander wavelength or bend radius. The method, termed Scale-Specific Sinuosity ( S 3 ), is a derivation from the Richardson plot. The Richardson (1961) plot is a classic means of calculating fractal dimension of natural line features and describes feature length (ℓ) given increasing vertex spacing, or step size (S), plotted on a log-log plot. The S 3 metric is defined as negative one times the slope of a Richardson plot for a given stride length. This paper demonstrates utility of S 3 for estimating changes in sinuosity with scale change.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2008

Geometric performance comparison between the OLI and the ETM+

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) Operational Land Imager (OLI) is the successor to the Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) instrument and features a pushbroom architecture that is more geometrically stable than the whiskbroom scanner of the ETM+. As a tradeoff of this architecture selection, imagery must be terrain corrected to ensure accurate band registration. This paper compares the geometric performance requirements for the two instruments and discusses the implications for the Landsat user community.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2019

Development of deepwater natural gas hydrates

Deepwater natural gas hydrate resources potentially exceed all other conventional and non-conventional hydrocarbon resources on a world-wide basis. However, before these offshore gas hydrate resources can be classified as reserves, it must be demonstrated that gas hydrates can be produced under conditions that make economic sense. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the technical issues that will challenge the development of deepwater natural gas hydrates.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2004

Data dictionary and formatting standard for dissemination of geotechnical data

A pilot system for archiving and web dissemination of geotechnical data collected and stored by various agencies is currently under development. Part of the scope of this project, sponsored by the Consortium of Organizations for Strong-Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS) and by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) Lifelines Program, is the development of a data dictionary and formatting standard. This paper presents the data model along with the basic structure of the data dictionary tables for this pilot system.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2012

Implementing regional sediment management to sustain navigation at an energetic tidal inlet

Regional Sediment Management (RSM) is a systems-based approach for managing multiple projects involving sediment. RSM fosters balance between infrastructure and natural system processes, resulting in reduced project costs and achievement of greater benefits. This paper introduces the RSM concept and describes how RSM is being implemented at the Mouth of the Columbia River to sustain the inlet's 100-year old navigation infrastructure and adjacent shore lands. Implementing RSM at this energetic inlet involves feeding the inlet's morphology using dredged material, and letting nature do the work of dispersing the placed dredged material to supplement the inlet's sediment budget, without compromising the reliability of the navigation channel. The paper discusses the types of data that are being collected and analyzed to understand the environmental forcing affecting the inlet's morphology. The paper also addresses how dredged material disposal is being conducted to implement RSM.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2007

Radiometric recalibration procedure for Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper data

The Landsat-5 (L5) satellite was launched on March 01, 1984, with a design life of three years. Incredibly, the L5 Thematic Mapper (TM) has collected data for 23 years. Over this time, the detectors have aged, and its radiometric characteristics have changed since launch. The calibration procedures and parameters have also changed with time. Revised radiometric calibrations have improved the radiometric accuracy of recently processed data; however, users with data that were processed prior to the calibration update do not benefit from the revisions. A procedure has been developed to give users the ability to recalibrate their existing Level 1 (Ll) products without having to purchase reprocessed data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The accuracy of the recalibration is dependent on the knowledge of the prior calibration applied to the data. The “Work Order” File, included with standard National Land Archive Production System (NLAPS) data products, gives parameters that define the applied calibration. These are the Internal Calibrator (IC) calibration parameters or the default prelaunch calibration, if there were problems with the IC calibration. This paper details the recalibration procedure for data processed using IC, in which users have the Work Order file.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1988

Summary of floods and droughts in the United States

This paper describes a current national analysis of streamflow data being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey to identify and map, in a consistent State-by-State format, the frequency and areal distribution of major floods and droughts in the United States. The work is being performed as the latest in a series of National Water Summaries published as Geological Survey Water-Supply Papers. The flood-and-drought analysis is part of a nationwide Geological Survey program to assess the Nation's water resources.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1986

Estimating ground-water influx to a portion of the Rio Grande de Manati River basin in Puerto Rico through the measurement of 222Rn

Water has become a critical commodity in the Caribbean Region. In spite of a relative abundance of rainfall even on the smaller islands , the region is faced with severe seasonal shortages as well as increasing water quality problems. The supply of the water needs in the area will become even more critical as economic development accelerates and the population continues to increase. The development of the necessary infrastructure to supply the water needs of the next 30 years will require large capital investments. Perhaps even more important, it will require training of scientists and technicians in the investigation and management of the limited water resources . The lack of trained personnel could be the most important factor in the solution of the water resources problems in the region. The principal objectives of this ' Third Caribbean Islands Water Resources Congress ', were to provide a focus for the transfer of technology on hydrology and water resources investigations in the region. The severe quality problems that affect water supplies in the U.S. Virgin Islands are the subject of two papers. The importance of a reliable data base on water use in small islands is considered in a paper on water use in St. Croix. Advanced techniques are discussed on how to measure groundwater contributions to runoff, use of geochemical techniques for interpretation of water quality characteristics, use of dye tracers in karst areas, simulation of small island 's aquifers, and use of borehole geophysical tools to estimate moisture. The contamination of groundwater resources is discussed in several papers focusing on monitoring, sludge management, and environmental assessment. (See W89-04666 thru W89-04682) (Lantz-PTT)

Conference Paper↗

USGS2018

Interstate water management of a “hidden” resource - Physical principles of groundwater hydrology

Groundwater systems are dynamic geologic environments in which water continuously flows from recharge areas to discharge areas at streams, springs, wetlands, coastal waters, and wells. Natural, predevelopment conditions within groundwater systems are changed by the introduction of wells and other human stresses that modify existing groundwater levels, flow paths, and hydrologic budgets. Groundwater serves the Nation as an important water supply, but in some instances such stresses can have adverse impacts that include excessive ground water-level declines, aquifer-storage reductions, and streamflow depletions. Many of the Nation’s aquifer systems extend over thousands of square miles and their hydrologic boundaries may be distant from jurisdictional boundaries that can be the focus of groundwater disputes. Effective interstate management of groundwater resources is benefited by an understanding of the regional-scale controls that affect groundwater conditions at the local scale. Numerical models are the most effective approach for accounting for all of the relevant hydrologic processes that affect groundwater systems and their response to natural and manmade stresses. This paper provides a brief background on some of the basic principles of groundwater hydrology that are relevant to interstate management of this important natural resource.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2012

Task committee on experimental uncertainty and measurement errors in hydraulic engineering: An update

As part of their long range goals for disseminating information on measurement techniques, instrumentation, and experimentation in the field of hydraulics, the Technical Committee on Hydraulic Measurements and Experimentation formed the Task Committee on Experimental Uncertainty and Measurement Errors in Hydraulic Engineering in January 2003. The overall mission of this Task Committee is to provide information and guidance on the current practices used for describing and quantifying measurement errors and experimental uncertainty in hydraulic engineering and experimental hydraulics. The final goal of the Task Committee on Experimental Uncertainty and Measurement Errors in Hydraulic Engineering is to produce a report on the subject that will cover: (1) sources of error in hydraulic measurements, (2) types of experimental uncertainty, (3) procedures for quantifying error and uncertainty, and (4) special practical applications that range from uncertainty analysis for planning an experiment to estimating uncertainty in flow monitoring at gaging sites and hydraulic structures. Currently, the Task Committee has adopted the first order variance estimation method outlined by Coleman and Steele as the basic methodology to follow when assessing the uncertainty in hydraulic measurements. In addition, the Task Committee has begun to develop its report on uncertainty in hydraulic engineering. This paper is intended as an update on the Task Committee's overall progress. Copyright ASCE 2005.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2006

Development and implementation of software systems for imaging spectroscopy

Specialized software systems have played a crucial role throughout the twenty-five year course of the development of the new technology of imaging spectroscopy, or hyperspectral remote sensing. By their very nature, hyperspectral data place unique and demanding requirements on the computer software used to visualize, analyze, process and interpret them. Often described as a marriage of the two technologies of reflectance spectroscopy and airborne/spaceborne remote sensing, imaging spectroscopy, in fact, produces data sets with unique qualities, unlike previous remote sensing or spectrometer data. Because of these unique spatial and spectral properties hyperspectral data are not readily processed or exploited with legacy software systems inherited from either of the two parent fields of study. This paper provides brief reviews of seven important software systems developed specifically for imaging spectroscopy.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2010

The CEOS Cal/Val portal: A new instrument for the Cal/Val community

The exploitation of Earth Observation data depends with increasing importance on multi-source inter-calibrated data, as demonstrated, for example, in the ESA DUE GlobColour project. 1 The subgroup on Calibration and Validation of the Committee on Earth Observing System (CEOS) formulated a recommendation during the plenary session held in China at the end of 2004, with the goal of setting-up and operating an Internet based system to provide sensor data, protocols and guidelines for the purposes of efficiently supporting sensor calibration, inter-calibration and product validation. ESA has taken the initiative and launched the version 1.0 of the Cal/Val Portal in October 2006 and the version 2.0 in mid 2009. This paper describes the Cal/Val portal webpage, components, and general content organization. It also gives an example of collaboration and Cal/Val facility.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1993

First results of a deep tow CHIRP sonar seafloor imaging system

The latest and most innovative technology has been applied towards the development of a full-ocean depth multi-sensor sonar system using linear swept-FM (Chirp) technology. The seafloor imaging system (SIS- 7000) described herein uses Chirp sidescan sonar to provide high resolution imagery at long range, and Chirp subbottom sonar to provide high resolution profiles in both the near bottom and deeper subbottom. The tow vehicle contains a suite of full-ocean depth instrumentation for measuring various oceanographic parameters and for monitoring vehicle status. Top side systems include a sonar display and data logging system as well as real-time sensor status display and tow vehicle control system. This paper will present an overview of this system, describe its technology and capabilities, and present some initial results.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1979

Organochlorine poisoning of herons

Over a period of years interested individuals have submitted many dead or moribund herons of various species to our laboratory to learn whether the birds had been affected by diseases or organochlorine poisoning. Residue concentrations in carcasses of birds and mammals are considered the best measure of sublethal exposure, whereas residues in brains are best to use for diagnosing death by most organochlorine chemicals (see Heinz et al. 1979 for review). Residue concentrations in brains that are diagnostic of organochlorine poisoning for birds have been determined in the laboratory for DDT and its metabolites (L.F. Stickel et al. 1966; W.H. Stickel et al. 1970; Stickel and Stickel 1970; W.H. Stickel, pers. comm.); dieldrin (W.H. Stickel et al. 1969; W.H. Stickel, pers. comm.); heptachlor, chlordane, and oxychlordane (L.F. Stickel et al. 1979; W.H. Stickel, pers. comm.); endrin (W.H. Stickel et al. 1979); Aroclor 1254 (W.H. Stickel 1975; W.H. Stickel, pers. comm.); and mirex (W.H. Stickel et al. 1973). This subject is discussed in further detail by Heinz et al. (1979). The purpose of the present paper is to document the occurrence and concentration of organochlorine residues in the brains of herons from various areas in the United States. By comparing these residue concentrations with laboratory-determined diagnostic lethal levels, we conclude that some herons were killed by organochlorine poisoning; others were at least seriously endangered by the residues they carried. Complete results of carcass analyses for these and other herons, as well as further details on residues in brains, will be reported elsewhere (H.M. Ohlendorf, D.M. Swineford, and L.N. Locke, unpublished manuscript). Overall, we analyzed carcasses or brains of more than 70 herons found dead or moribund and 36 others taken in planned collections. Residue levels in carcasses of many herons were not high enough to warrant analysis of brains. In the present paper we compare carcass and brain residues of dieldrin in 23 herons of which both carcass and brain were analyzed.

Alabama, Michigan, Vermont↗

USGS2011

Metadata for data rescue and data at risk

Scientific data age, become stale, fall into disuse and run tremendous risks of being forgotten and lost. These problems can be addressed by archiving and managing scientific data over time, and establishing practices that facilitate data discovery and reuse. Metadata documentation is integral to this work and essential for measuring and assessing high priority data preservation cases. The International Council for Science: Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) has a newly appointed Data-at-Risk Task Group (DARTG), participating in the general arena of rescuing data. The DARTG primary objective is building an inventory of scientific data that are at risk of being lost forever. As part of this effort, the DARTG is testing an approach for documenting endangered datasets. The DARTG is developing a minimal and easy to use set of metadata properties for sufficiently describing endangered data, which will aid global data rescue missions. The DARTG metadata framework supports rapid capture, and easy documentation, across an array of scientific domains. This paper reports on the goals and principles supporting the DARTG metadata schema, and provides a description of the preliminary implementation.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1994

Pesticides detected in surface waters and fish of the Red River of the North drainage basin

The Red River of the North drainage basin (herein referred to as Red River Basin) within the United States is a study unit under the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. The overall goals of this program, initiated to better define the status and trends of the Nation’s water quality, are to address regional and national water-quality issues in a nationally consistent manner. Pesticide contamination of surface water and fish is one focus of this program. The Red River Basin is about 90,600 square kilometers (km2 ) in area and is composed of rolling prairie with a high density of prairie-pothole wetlands to the west; a very flat glacial lake bed with drainage ditches and meandering streams in the center (Red River Valley Lake Plain); morainal hills with a mosaic of agriculture, lakes, and forest in the southeast; and a flat lake-washed till plain with extensive peatlands in the northeast (fig. 1). Stoner and others (1993) have given a more complete description of the environmental setting of the Red River Basin. Agriculture is a major component of the region’s economy, and is greatest in the Red River Valley Lake Plain. Principal crops are wheat, barley, oats, sunflowers, corn, soybeans, dry beans, potatoes, sugarbeets, alfalfa hay, and other hay. Herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide use depends on crop type and environmental stresses such as crop disease, drought, and periodic insect-pest infestation. This paper focuses on the occurrence, movement, and fate of agricultural pesticides that are applied to crops, but improper disposal, and use of pesticides for household pests, lawn care, golf courses, and home gardening can also result in contamination of the aquatic environment. Furthermore, atmospheric transport is known to transport pesticides to regions far from their source (Kurtz, 1990). Pesticide data have been collected in the Red River Basin by various Federal, State, and local agencies. Tornes and Brigham (1994) recently summarized many of these historical data. This paper summarizes selected data collected as part of the NAWQA program during 1992-93, and briefly compares these data to historical data and to pesticide usage.

Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota↗

USGS2021

Multi-period response spectra

Multi-period response spectra (MPRS) are incorporated in the development of seismic design ground motions in the 2020 edition of the NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures (2020 NEHRP Provisions) and are approved for adoption in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Standard, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE/SEI 7-22). MPRS are incorporated in these design regulations because it was discovered that the standard spectral shape based on two periods and one reference site class was substantially understating spectral response in moderately long period structures located on soft soil sites where ground motion hazard is dominated by large magnitude events. These are the motions that are relevant to tall buildings in the Los Angeles region and of interest to the Los Angeles Tall Buildings Seismic Design Council (LATBSDC). The MPRS incorporation updated Chapters 11, 20, 21, and 22 of the 2020 NEHRP Provisions (a.k.a. FEMA P-2082); changes are described in detail in the commentary of FEMA P-2082. The MPRS also influenced the development of the 2018 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) for the conterminous U.S. because valid ground motion models for all periods and site classes of interest were required. FEMA P-2082 is complemented by the FEMA P-2078 technical report that provides a procedure for approximating MPRS outside of the conterminous U.S. This paper presents a condensed version of the relevant sections of FEMA P-2082 and FEMA P-2078 that would interest the LATBSDC.

Conference Paper↗