Study confirms fossil footprints at White Sands National Park date to the Last Glacial Maximum
National Uncrewed Systems Office
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
The Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center (GECSC) delivers critical science that supports Administrative and Departmental priorities. Through geologic mapping and Earth system research, GECSC provides essential data on the nation’s geologic resources, landscape dynamics, and surface processes—informing resource development, hazard mitigation, and land-use planning.
News
Earth Science Matters - Vol. 21 | Issue 1
Earth Science Matters - Vol. 21 | Issue 1
USGS Unveils New National Geologic Map
USGS Unveils New National Geologic Map
The Next Fueling Discovery Webinar Takes Place May 29
The Next Fueling Discovery Webinar Takes Place May 29
Publications
A three-dimensional geologic framework model of the northern Great Plains region of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, USA A three-dimensional geologic framework model of the northern Great Plains region of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, USA
This report presents a new three-dimensional geologic framework model (GFM) of the northern Great Plains region, encompassing parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The model provides a regionally consistent, geographic information system (GIS)-ready representation of Phanerozoic sedimentary strata, major fault systems, and Precambrian basement geometry across two...
Moving toward a more human-oriented analysis of urban heat: Examining differences of heat exposure intensity at busy commuting locations Moving toward a more human-oriented analysis of urban heat: Examining differences of heat exposure intensity at busy commuting locations
Examining urban thermal environments has become a critical area of research spanning epidemiology, urban planning, and ecology. While traditional metrics like air temperature (Tair) and satellite-derived surface temperature dominate urban heat studies, these measures often fail to reflect how people actually experience thermal exposure intensity. More human-oriented metrics, such as mean...
Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a species of iconic cultural interest. Thanks to annual overwintering monarch counts at hundreds of locations in coastal California, we are able to track fluctuations with high temporal and spatial resolution. Between 1997 and 2024, monarch populations at overwintering sites in the western United States experienced severe dips, at times (2018...