Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Videos

Explore a wide variety of videos that highlight natural hazards, the risks they pose and the science we conduct to better understand and prepare for them.

Filter Total Items: 658
Instruments Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 2 (AD)
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 2 (AD)
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 2 (AD)

Critical to scientific operations aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition are the submersible robots Sentry and Jason. Owned and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), these robots allow researchers to observe seafloor features and collect data from depths seldom visited by humans.

Critical to scientific operations aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition are the submersible robots Sentry and Jason. Owned and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), these robots allow researchers to observe seafloor features and collect data from depths seldom visited by humans.

Instruments Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 2
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 2
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 2

Critical to scientific operations aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition is the submersible robots Sentry and Jason. Owned and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), these robots allow researchers to observe seafloor features and collect data from depths seldom visited by humans.

Critical to scientific operations aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition is the submersible robots Sentry and Jason. Owned and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), these robots allow researchers to observe seafloor features and collect data from depths seldom visited by humans.

Woman holding jug of water Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 3 (AD)
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 3 (AD)
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 3 (AD)

For scientists aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition, obtaining sediment cores or deep-sea biological and geological samples after a Jason dive is only the beginning.

For scientists aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition, obtaining sediment cores or deep-sea biological and geological samples after a Jason dive is only the beginning.

Woman holding jug of water Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 3
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 3
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Part 3

For scientists aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition, obtaining sediment cores or deep-sea biological and geological samples after a Jason dive is only the beginning.

For scientists aboard the Escanaba Trough expedition, obtaining sediment cores or deep-sea biological and geological samples after a Jason dive is only the beginning.

Woman with hard hat and life vest working on a pipe Escanaba Trough Expedition: Introduction (AD)
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Introduction (AD)
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Introduction (AD)

Embarking on a three-week deep-sea research expedition requires a lot of preparation. For this expedition to Escanaba Trough, U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners spend the first few days in port, building their laboratory space aboard the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson.

Embarking on a three-week deep-sea research expedition requires a lot of preparation. For this expedition to Escanaba Trough, U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners spend the first few days in port, building their laboratory space aboard the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson.

Woman with hard hat and life vest working on a pipe Escanaba Trough Expedition: Introduction
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Introduction
Escanaba Trough Expedition: Introduction

Embarking on a three-week deep-sea research expedition requires a lot of preparation. For this expedition to Escanaba Trough, U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners spend the first few days in port, building their laboratory space aboard the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson.

Embarking on a three-week deep-sea research expedition requires a lot of preparation. For this expedition to Escanaba Trough, U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners spend the first few days in port, building their laboratory space aboard the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson.

Aeirial view of landslides blocking roads  in Utuado, Puerto Rico Landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria: Assessment of an extreme event in Puerto Rico
Landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria: Assessment of an extreme event in Puerto Rico
Landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria: Assessment of an extreme event in Puerto Rico

During September 2017, Hurricane Maria triggered >70,000 slope failures throughout the mountainous regions of Puerto Rico (USA). Since then, the USGS has had a multi-faceted team working to understand landslide hazards in Puerto Rico.

During September 2017, Hurricane Maria triggered >70,000 slope failures throughout the mountainous regions of Puerto Rico (USA). Since then, the USGS has had a multi-faceted team working to understand landslide hazards in Puerto Rico.

USGS scientist with yellow visibility safety vest on talking to the camera with people working in the background. What is a seismic survey?
What is a seismic survey?
What is a seismic survey?

What is a seismic survey? This video gives a very brief overview of the what goes into conducting a seismic survey in an urban area. The survey depicted in this video was done in San Carlos, California.

What is a seismic survey? This video gives a very brief overview of the what goes into conducting a seismic survey in an urban area. The survey depicted in this video was done in San Carlos, California.

Color photograph of lava lake March 2, 2022 — Kīlauea summit overflight
March 2, 2022 — Kīlauea summit overflight
March 2, 2022 — Kīlauea summit overflight

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on March 2, 2022, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from the west vent area and pours into the active lava lake area. 

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on March 2, 2022, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from the west vent area and pours into the active lava lake area. 

The Buffalo Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Regiment Bicycle Corps walk their cycles up Minerva Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park Monthly update of activity at Yellowstone Volcano for Jan 2022
Monthly update of activity at Yellowstone Volcano for Jan 2022
Monthly update of activity at Yellowstone Volcano for Jan 2022

This monthly update from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory begins with a story.

Deformation and geochemical anomalies near South Sister, Oregon Tracking uplift near Three Sisters volcanoes, using semi-permanent GPS instruments
Tracking uplift near Three Sisters volcanoes, using semi-permanent GPS instruments
Tracking uplift near Three Sisters volcanoes, using semi-permanent GPS instruments

USGS geologist Dan Dzurisin is near Sisters, in Central Oregon, to set up portable GPS monitoring equipment to track something that's been going on for 25 years and still goes on today. It’s uplift, a subtle rise in the ground’s surface, in an area west of South Sister volcano.

USGS geologist Dan Dzurisin is near Sisters, in Central Oregon, to set up portable GPS monitoring equipment to track something that's been going on for 25 years and still goes on today. It’s uplift, a subtle rise in the ground’s surface, in an area west of South Sister volcano.

Photo looking north from the north shore of Yellowstone Lake at lake terraces. Yellowstone's ups and downs explained in this monthly update of activity at Yellowstone Volcano (December 1, 2021)
Yellowstone's ups and downs explained in this monthly update of activity at Yellowstone Volcano (December 1, 2021)
Yellowstone's ups and downs explained in this monthly update of activity at Yellowstone Volcano (December 1, 2021)

Some people have characterized the seasonal rise and fall of Yellowstone as being like breathing. During the summer there is a little pause in the overall trend of subsidence and sometimes even a short episode of slight uplift. The trend reverses in early winter.

Some people have characterized the seasonal rise and fall of Yellowstone as being like breathing. During the summer there is a little pause in the overall trend of subsidence and sometimes even a short episode of slight uplift. The trend reverses in early winter.

lava flowing Overflow of a perched levee—Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea summit
Overflow of a perched levee—Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea summit
Overflow of a perched levee—Halema‘uma‘u, Kīlauea summit

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 12, a small overflow of the perched lava lake levee was visible from the western crater rim. Overflows are an important process for building up perched levees, as they help add height and stability.

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 12, a small overflow of the perched lava lake levee was visible from the western crater rim. Overflows are an important process for building up perched levees, as they help add height and stability.

lava Lava sloshing and spattering in west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea volcano
Lava sloshing and spattering in west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea volcano
Lava sloshing and spattering in west vent in Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea volcano

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 9, a close-up view of the west vent shows spatter bursting and sloshing within the cone. Spatter was thrown about 6–9 m (20–30 ft) above the pond surface, occasionally depositing spatter onto the rim of the cone. 

Lava continues to erupt from the west vent in Halema‘uma‘u, and supply the lava lake through a spillway in the spatter cone. On November 9, a close-up view of the west vent shows spatter bursting and sloshing within the cone. Spatter was thrown about 6–9 m (20–30 ft) above the pond surface, occasionally depositing spatter onto the rim of the cone. 

Man standing in cold wintery landscape November (2021) Yellowstone Volcano
November (2021) Yellowstone Volcano
November (2021) Yellowstone Volcano

The November 2021 YVO Yellowstone Volcano update comes to you from a very snowy Norris Geyser Basin with a story about Porkchop Geyser’s 1989 explosion.

The November 2021 YVO Yellowstone Volcano update comes to you from a very snowy Norris Geyser Basin with a story about Porkchop Geyser’s 1989 explosion.

lava November 1, 2021 — Kīlauea summit eruption
November 1, 2021 — Kīlauea summit eruption
November 1, 2021 — Kīlauea summit eruption

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake. The base level of the pond fluctuates over the timespan of minutes.

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake. The base level of the pond fluctuates over the timespan of minutes.

lava One year thermal camera time-lapse—Kīlauea summit
One year thermal camera time-lapse—Kīlauea summit
One year thermal camera time-lapse—Kīlauea summit

It has been one month since the new eruption began in Halema'uma'u. Over the past year at Kīlauea summit there has been a water lake and two eruptions within Halema'uma'u crater.

It has been one month since the new eruption began in Halema'uma'u. Over the past year at Kīlauea summit there has been a water lake and two eruptions within Halema'uma'u crater.

lava Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater - October 2, 2021
Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater - October 2, 2021
Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater - October 2, 2021

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake.

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The west vent remains active with low fountaining in a slightly perched pond set within the cone. Lava pours through a short spillway into the lava lake.

Color photograph of lava lake Kīlauea summit overflight - October 15, 2021
Kīlauea summit overflight - October 15, 2021
Kīlauea summit overflight - October 15, 2021

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on October 15, 2021, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. The vent has a spatter cone around it, with an opening to the east from which lava flows into the lava lake. 

A morning overflight of Kīlauea summit on October 15, 2021, provided aerial views of the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u. Lava erupts from a single vent on the western wall of the crater. The vent has a spatter cone around it, with an opening to the east from which lava flows into the lava lake. 

Lava fountaining in Halema'uma'u crater—October 12, 2021
Lava fountaining in Halema'uma'u crater—October 12, 2021
Lava fountaining in Halema'uma'u crater—October 12, 2021

Lava continues to erupt from the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u. On October 12, a short-lived vent (erupting for approximately 10 hours) was present to the north of the main vent (right). Lava fountaining from the main vent was 10–15 meters (30–50 ft) above the lake surface, with larger bursts exceeding the height of the cone (30 meters or 100 ft).

Lava continues to erupt from the western vent in Halema‘uma‘u. On October 12, a short-lived vent (erupting for approximately 10 hours) was present to the north of the main vent (right). Lava fountaining from the main vent was 10–15 meters (30–50 ft) above the lake surface, with larger bursts exceeding the height of the cone (30 meters or 100 ft).