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Images

Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.

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Fog Over Glacial Ridge Refuge

Fog Over Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge

Frozen wetland Orange, Massachusetts
Frozen wetland Orange, Massachusetts
Frozen wetland Orange, Massachusetts
Frozen wetland Orange, Massachusetts

Photo Contest Winner | Jan. 2020 | Honorable Mention
Frozen wetland Orange, Massachusetts

Photo Contest Winner | Jan. 2020 | Honorable Mention
Frozen wetland Orange, Massachusetts

Color graphic showing lava flows on the central-southeast flank of Mauna Loa
Geologic map of the central-southeast flank of Mauna Loa
Geologic map of the central-southeast flank of Mauna Loa
Geologic map of the central-southeast flank of Mauna Loa

The recently published "Geologic map of the central-southeast flank of Mauna Loa" (https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sim2932B), shown here, uses color to depict ages of geologic units, with warm colors denoting younger units and cool colors indicating older units.

The recently published "Geologic map of the central-southeast flank of Mauna Loa" (https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sim2932B), shown here, uses color to depict ages of geologic units, with warm colors denoting younger units and cool colors indicating older units.

Grass carp larvae
Grass carp larvae
Grass carp larvae
Grass carp larvae

These images show grass carp larvae from the Maumee River. Characteristics of larval grass carp include overall length (left), skeletal muscle development (center) and presence of an eye spot that lacks pigmentation (right; pigment starting to develop on lower eye).

These images show grass carp larvae from the Maumee River. Characteristics of larval grass carp include overall length (left), skeletal muscle development (center) and presence of an eye spot that lacks pigmentation (right; pigment starting to develop on lower eye).

Groundwater Sampling, Glacial Ridge Refuge
Groundwater Sampling, Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
Groundwater Sampling, Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
Groundwater Sampling, Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge

USGS technician Jody Hulne collects a groundwater nutrient sample at Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge.

Animated GIF of a baby tortoise hatching out of its shell
Hatching Baby Tortoise (GIF)
Hatching Baby Tortoise (GIF)
Hatching Baby Tortoise (GIF)

Animated GIF of a baby tortoise hatching out of its shell. Pulled from "The Heat is On: Desert Tortoises and Survival" video by Stephen M. Wessells.

Animated GIF of a baby tortoise hatching out of its shell. Pulled from "The Heat is On: Desert Tortoises and Survival" video by Stephen M. Wessells.

Photograph of Head of the Meadow Beach shoreline
Head of the Meadow Beach, MA
Head of the Meadow Beach, MA
Head of the Meadow Beach, MA

Head of the Meadow Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

Photograph of Head of the Meadow Beach shoreline camera 2
Head of the Meadow Beach, MA
Head of the Meadow Beach, MA
Head of the Meadow Beach, MA

Head of the Meadow Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

Health Assessment on northern snakehead fish
Health Assessment on northern snakehead fish
Health Assessment on northern snakehead fish
Health Assessment on northern snakehead fish

Dr.s Densmore and Henderson conducting a health assessment on a northern snakehead fish. This fish species is an air breather so health assessments out of water are not impossible to perform. 

Dr.s Densmore and Henderson conducting a health assessment on a northern snakehead fish. This fish species is an air breather so health assessments out of water are not impossible to perform. 

Hydro tech, Alex Wong, collecting stream flow data
Hydro tech, Alex Wong, collecting stream flow data
Hydro tech, Alex Wong, collecting stream flow data
Hydro tech, Alex Wong, collecting stream flow data

Northeast Region Photo Contest, August 2019, Honorable Mention
Hydro tech, Alex Wong, collecting stream flow data

Northeast Region Photo Contest, August 2019, Honorable Mention
Hydro tech, Alex Wong, collecting stream flow data

I-Beam and Sled ADVM Mount
I-Beam and Sled ADVM Mount
I-Beam and Sled ADVM Mount
I-Beam and Sled ADVM Mount

A 4" aluminum I-beam is used allow an ADVM to be raised and lowered on a stainless steel sled.  The I-beam also serves as a pedestal mount for electronics housing.

A 4" aluminum I-beam is used allow an ADVM to be raised and lowered on a stainless steel sled.  The I-beam also serves as a pedestal mount for electronics housing.

I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 1
I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 1
I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 1
I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 1

A 4" aluminum I-beam is used allow an ADVM to be raised and lowered on a stainless steel sled.

A 4" aluminum I-beam is used allow an ADVM to be raised and lowered on a stainless steel sled.

I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 2
I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 2
I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 2
I-beam and sled ADVM mount example 2

A 4" aluminum I-beam is used allow an ADVM to be raised and lowered on a stainless steel sled. 

 

A 4" aluminum I-beam is used allow an ADVM to be raised and lowered on a stainless steel sled. 

 

Indiana Pier Mount
Indiana Pier Mount
Indiana Pier Mount
Indiana Pier Mount

2" galvanzied pipe mated to a custom PVC clamp mount are used to fasten a horizontal ADVM.

2" galvanzied pipe mated to a custom PVC clamp mount are used to fasten a horizontal ADVM.

Color map of the Big Island showing earthquake locations
Island of Hawai‘i earthquakes since August 2019
Island of Hawai‘i earthquakes since August 2019
Island of Hawai‘i earthquakes since August 2019

About 1300 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 1 and at depths over 20 km (12 mi) on and around the Island of Hawai‘i since August 2019 are depicted on this map. Most of the earthquakes were clustered beneath the southern edge of the island near the town of Pāhala.

About 1300 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 1 and at depths over 20 km (12 mi) on and around the Island of Hawai‘i since August 2019 are depicted on this map. Most of the earthquakes were clustered beneath the southern edge of the island near the town of Pāhala.

Kentucky mount constructed from Speed Rail
Kentucky mount constructed from Speed Rail
Kentucky mount constructed from Speed Rail
Kentucky mount constructed from Speed Rail

Kentucky mount constructed from Speed Rail. This mount can be used to deploy Rio Grande, RiverPro, RioPro, and RiverSurveyor ADCPs.

Kentucky mount constructed from Speed Rail. This mount can be used to deploy Rio Grande, RiverPro, RioPro, and RiverSurveyor ADCPs.

Animated GIF showing rise of crater lake
Kīlauea summit water lake KW webcam images 11-1-2019 to 10-30-2020
Kīlauea summit water lake KW webcam images 11-1-2019 to 10-30-2020
Kīlauea summit water lake KW webcam images 11-1-2019 to 10-30-2020

ANIMATED GIF: The KWcam webcam has been imaging the Kīlauea summit water lake for just over a year now, tracking visual changes in the lake including water level and color.

ANIMATED GIF: The KWcam webcam has been imaging the Kīlauea summit water lake for just over a year now, tracking visual changes in the lake including water level and color.

Animated GIF showing rise of crater lake
Kīlauea summit water lake KW webcam images 11-1-2019 to 10-30-2020
Kīlauea summit water lake KW webcam images 11-1-2019 to 10-30-2020
Kīlauea summit water lake KW webcam images 11-1-2019 to 10-30-2020

ANNIMATED GIF: This animated image file (GIF) of the Kīlauea summit water lake is a cropped version this file, showing a close-up view of the lake.

ANNIMATED GIF: This animated image file (GIF) of the Kīlauea summit water lake is a cropped version this file, showing a close-up view of the lake.

Landslide at Howard Gap Road
Landslide at Howard Gap Road
Landslide at Howard Gap Road
Landslide at Howard Gap Road

Northeast Region Photo Contest Winner | June 2019 | USGS at Work
Landslide at Howard Gap Road, Hendersonville NC; People (R to L): Kelsey O'Pry, Corey Scheip, Jesse Hill, Jessica DeWitt; UAV imaging and geologic field observations are done to map the extent and activity of this landslide; Hendersonville, NC

Northeast Region Photo Contest Winner | June 2019 | USGS at Work
Landslide at Howard Gap Road, Hendersonville NC; People (R to L): Kelsey O'Pry, Corey Scheip, Jesse Hill, Jessica DeWitt; UAV imaging and geologic field observations are done to map the extent and activity of this landslide; Hendersonville, NC

mangrove forest along Gulf of Mexico
Mangrove Forest along Gulf of Mexico
Mangrove Forest along Gulf of Mexico
Mangrove Forest along Gulf of Mexico

A mangrove forest along the western Gulf of Mexico coast (near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico). With warming winters, mangrove forests are expected to expand northward at the expense of salt marshes in parts of Texas, Louisiana, and north Florida.

A mangrove forest along the western Gulf of Mexico coast (near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico). With warming winters, mangrove forests are expected to expand northward at the expense of salt marshes in parts of Texas, Louisiana, and north Florida.

Map of seismicity (yellow circles) in Yellowstone during 2019
Map of seismicity in the Yellowstone region during 2019.
Map of seismicity in the Yellowstone region during 2019.
Map of seismicity in the Yellowstone region during 2019.

Map of seismicity (yellow circles) in the Yellowstone region during 2019. Gray lines are roads, red line shows the caldera boundary, Yellowstone National Park is outlined by black dashed line, and gray dashed lines denote state boundaries.

Map of seismicity (yellow circles) in the Yellowstone region during 2019. Gray lines are roads, red line shows the caldera boundary, Yellowstone National Park is outlined by black dashed line, and gray dashed lines denote state boundaries.