Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

Images intro.
Filter Total Items: 505
Image shows several people standing next to a helicopter
Preparing for a Helicopter Overflight
Preparing for a Helicopter Overflight
Preparing for a Helicopter Overflight

CGS and USGS geologists and geophysicists with National Guard and Navy personnel plan next phase of helicopter-supported field investigations on Sat., July 6, 2019 at China Lake NAWS.

CGS and USGS geologists and geophysicists with National Guard and Navy personnel plan next phase of helicopter-supported field investigations on Sat., July 6, 2019 at China Lake NAWS.

Image shows several people standing on the desert
Preparing to Survey Searles Earthquake Scarp
Preparing to Survey Searles Earthquake Scarp
Preparing to Survey Searles Earthquake Scarp

USGS scientists and partners review objectives and group assignments  at fault scarp site. The team will deploy seismic instruments to better observe aftershock activity from close in, and to document surface faulting.

USGS scientists and partners review objectives and group assignments  at fault scarp site. The team will deploy seismic instruments to better observe aftershock activity from close in, and to document surface faulting.

Image shows people silhouetted by the sun working in the desert
Surveying the Searles Valley Earthquake Scarp
Surveying the Searles Valley Earthquake Scarp
Surveying the Searles Valley Earthquake Scarp

USGS Seismologists Alan Yong and Elizabeth Cohcran conduct field work near the main rupture between Trona and Ridgecrest California.

USGS Seismologists Alan Yong and Elizabeth Cohcran conduct field work near the main rupture between Trona and Ridgecrest California.

fault scarp
Pointing out fault scarp for Searles Valley earthquake
Pointing out fault scarp for Searles Valley earthquake
Pointing out fault scarp for Searles Valley earthquake

USGS scientist pointing to the fault scarp that shows the fault moved horizontally, as well as laterally.

USGS scientist pointing to the fault scarp that shows the fault moved horizontally, as well as laterally.

fault scarp
Fault scarp near epicenter of Searles Valley earthquake
Fault scarp near epicenter of Searles Valley earthquake
Fault scarp near epicenter of Searles Valley earthquake

Fault scarp close to the epicenter. In this location the fault has a main strand where much of the slip occurred, as well as distributed fractures.

Fault scarp close to the epicenter. In this location the fault has a main strand where much of the slip occurred, as well as distributed fractures.

nightly view of highway with large cracks from earthquake and car in the distance.
2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence - M7.1 Highway 178
2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence - M7.1 Highway 178
2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence - M7.1 Highway 178

Highway 178 SW of Trona. Taken earlier in the morning July 6, 2019 after the M7.1 earthquake which struck eastern California, southwest of Searles Valley, near Ridgecrest, CA.

Highway 178 SW of Trona. Taken earlier in the morning July 6, 2019 after the M7.1 earthquake which struck eastern California, southwest of Searles Valley, near Ridgecrest, CA.

Image shows a crack in a road with a pen for scale
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

A fault offset on California State Route 178 following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

A fault offset on California State Route 178 following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows a woman measuring a crack in the roadway
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

Janis Hernandez (California Geological Survey) measures 18 centimeters of offset across one strand of the fault rupture zone. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Janis Hernandez (California Geological Survey) measures 18 centimeters of offset across one strand of the fault rupture zone. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows people in the distance measuring cracks in the roadway
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

Measurement of fault offset being done by USGS scientist Ken Hudnut, using the offset of a painted road stripe. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Measurement of fault offset being done by USGS scientist Ken Hudnut, using the offset of a painted road stripe. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows people and trucks in the distance, measuring cracks in the roadway
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

Measurement of fault offset being done by USGS scientist Ken Hudnut, using the offset of a painted road stripe on California State Route 178. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Measurement of fault offset being done by USGS scientist Ken Hudnut, using the offset of a painted road stripe on California State Route 178. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows hands and a tape measure around a crack in the roadway
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Measuring Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

Measuring a fault offset on California State Route 178. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Measuring a fault offset on California State Route 178. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows a crack in the road with a pen for scale
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

A fault offset on California State Route 178 with a pen for scale. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

A fault offset on California State Route 178 with a pen for scale. This measurement was conducted following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows a side view of a roadway with a large crack in it
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178
Earthquake Damage on California Hwy. 178

California State Route 178, showing cracks due to fault offsets following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

California State Route 178, showing cracks due to fault offsets following the Magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Searles Valley on July 4, 2019.

Image shows a crack in the ground with a tape measure over it
Surface Rupture from Fault
Surface Rupture from Fault
Surface Rupture from Fault

On July 4, 2019, a Magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Searles Valley, CA. This photo provides likely evidence that the fault that hosted the earthquake ruptured to the ground surface.

On July 4, 2019, a Magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Searles Valley, CA. This photo provides likely evidence that the fault that hosted the earthquake ruptured to the ground surface.

Image shows a crack in the ground with a truck in the background
Surface Rupture from Fault
Surface Rupture from Fault
Surface Rupture from Fault

On July 4, 2019, a Magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Searles Valley, CA. This photo provides likely evidence that the fault that hosted the earthquake ruptured to the ground surface.

On July 4, 2019, a Magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Searles Valley, CA. This photo provides likely evidence that the fault that hosted the earthquake ruptured to the ground surface.

three people crouching down next to a long offset cut in the ground
Ridgecrest Earthquake - Documenting Ruptures
Ridgecrest Earthquake - Documenting Ruptures
Ridgecrest Earthquake - Documenting Ruptures

Belle Philibosian working with Gordon Seitz (CGS) and Stephan Bock (NAWS) to document surface ruptures of the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake, July 2019.

Belle Philibosian working with Gordon Seitz (CGS) and Stephan Bock (NAWS) to document surface ruptures of the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake, July 2019.

stark landscape with a rip going across the surface from front to back
Moletrack crossing China Lake dry lake bed
Moletrack crossing China Lake dry lake bed
Moletrack crossing China Lake dry lake bed

Moletrack crossing China Lake dry lake bed after Ridgecrest earthquake in July of 2019.

Moletrack crossing China Lake dry lake bed after Ridgecrest earthquake in July of 2019.

crumbling house on grassy field
Palu Earthquake Damage to House from Liquefaction
Palu Earthquake Damage to House from Liquefaction
Palu Earthquake Damage to House from Liquefaction

House destroyed by Palu earthquake-induced liquefaction. Note standing water which indicates a nearly surface-level water table that contributed to the widespread liquefaction.

House destroyed by Palu earthquake-induced liquefaction. Note standing water which indicates a nearly surface-level water table that contributed to the widespread liquefaction.

Lidar point cloud, zoom in
3DEP, Lidar point cloud, Pre-Hurricane Maria
3DEP, Lidar point cloud, Pre-Hurricane Maria
3DEP, Lidar point cloud, Pre-Hurricane Maria

Figure 2: Zooming in to red rectangle A from figure 1. Points colored by laser intensity (blue = low intensity, red = high intensity).

Figure 2: Zooming in to red rectangle A from figure 1. Points colored by laser intensity (blue = low intensity, red = high intensity).

city skyline at night with tall buildings and bridge in left foreground lit up
The Bay Bridge and the Oakland city skyline
The Bay Bridge and the Oakland city skyline
The Bay Bridge and the Oakland city skyline

The nighttime Oakland city skyline as seen from San Francisco with the Bay Bridge in the foreground

The nighttime Oakland city skyline as seen from San Francisco with the Bay Bridge in the foreground

A USGS technician services a ShakeAlert sensor station in the San Francisco Bay area
ShakeAlert sensor station being serviced by USGS personnel
ShakeAlert sensor station being serviced by USGS personnel
ShakeAlert sensor station being serviced by USGS personnel

A USGS electronics technician performs maintenance on a ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) sensor station, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. ShakeAlert station components include strong-motion accelerometers, solar panel and battery power systems, and communications & telemetry equipment for communication with the wider ShakeAlert network. 

A USGS electronics technician performs maintenance on a ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) sensor station, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. ShakeAlert station components include strong-motion accelerometers, solar panel and battery power systems, and communications & telemetry equipment for communication with the wider ShakeAlert network.