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Two oceanographers look at a coral core stored in a wooden box
Coral cores like this one reveal geologic history of Keys reefs
Coral cores like this one reveal geologic history of Keys reefs
Coral cores like this one reveal geologic history of Keys reefs

USGS Research Oceanographer Lauren Toth and Oceanographer Anastasios Stathakopoulos study a coral-reef core in the USGS’s Core Archive in St. Petersburg, Florida. Photo: Dominique Gallery, USGS.

USGS Research Oceanographer Lauren Toth and Oceanographer Anastasios Stathakopoulos study a coral-reef core in the USGS’s Core Archive in St. Petersburg, Florida. Photo: Dominique Gallery, USGS.

A coral worn smooth with a badly eroded base
Erosion has taken a toll on this Keys coral
Erosion has taken a toll on this Keys coral
Erosion has taken a toll on this Keys coral

A reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with little living coral and extensive bioerosion. Photo taken under research permit number FKNMS-2016-085-A1. Credit: USGS, Ilsa Kuffner.

A reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with little living coral and extensive bioerosion. Photo taken under research permit number FKNMS-2016-085-A1. Credit: USGS, Ilsa Kuffner.

city skyline with tall buildings lit up at night and bridge in left foreground
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 coral worn smooth by erosion
Like many Keys corals, this one has no new growth
Like many Keys corals, this one has no new growth
Like many Keys corals, this one has no new growth

A modern coral reef in Dry Tortugas National Park. There is little living coral and high rates of bioerosion. Photo taken under research permit number DRTO-2018-SCI-0005. Credit: Lauren Toth, USGS

A modern coral reef in Dry Tortugas National Park. There is little living coral and high rates of bioerosion. Photo taken under research permit number DRTO-2018-SCI-0005. Credit: Lauren Toth, USGS

person with white hardhat in the bottom of a narrow trench supported by metal bars
Trench Across West Napa Fault, California
Trench Across West Napa Fault, California
Trench Across West Napa Fault, California

Belle Philibosian in a trench investigating the West Napa Fault near St. Helena, California, August 2017.

Belle Philibosian in a trench investigating the West Napa Fault near St. Helena, California, August 2017.

Comparison maps indicating short or long times available for earthquake shaking arrival times
Earthquake Alerts: Early and Often? Or Possibly Late?
Earthquake Alerts: Early and Often? Or Possibly Late?
Earthquake Alerts: Early and Often? Or Possibly Late?

The choice when issuing earthquake warnings is to: 1) issue alerts for weak shaking and potentially provide long warning times, but risk sending alerts for the many events that do not go on to produce damaging ground shaking, or 2) issue alerts only when ground shaking is expected to be damaging, with the tradeoff that the alert will be sent much later, reducing

The choice when issuing earthquake warnings is to: 1) issue alerts for weak shaking and potentially provide long warning times, but risk sending alerts for the many events that do not go on to produce damaging ground shaking, or 2) issue alerts only when ground shaking is expected to be damaging, with the tradeoff that the alert will be sent much later, reducing

Montecito after debris flow
Montecito after debris flow
Montecito after debris flow
Montecito after debris flow

The Dec. 4, 2017 Thomas fire, Southern California's largest wildfire on record, burned more than 280,000 acres across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for nearly a month.

The Dec. 4, 2017 Thomas fire, Southern California's largest wildfire on record, burned more than 280,000 acres across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for nearly a month.

Boulder in debris flow
Geologists assess scene after debris flow
Geologists assess scene after debris flow
Geologists assess scene after debris flow

Geologists assess boulders displaced during the Montecito debris flow event on Jan. 9, 2018.  

Pool warning sign
Pool sign warns first responders
Pool sign warns first responders
Pool sign warns first responders

Swimming pool sign spray-painted to warn first responders and others to be careful around the potentially dangerous area. 

Swimming pool sign spray-painted to warn first responders and others to be careful around the potentially dangerous area. 

Geologists assess debris flow
Geologists assess damage after debris-flow event
Geologists assess damage after debris-flow event
Geologists assess damage after debris-flow event

USGS geologists deployed to Santa Barbara County to support a geohazard assessment of the Montecito area

Map of Active Faults and Historic Earthquakes in California
California Seismicity
California Seismicity
California Seismicity

Map of historic seismicity, major faults, and paleoseismic summary of San Andreas Fault system.

Map of historic seismicity, major faults, and paleoseismic summary of San Andreas Fault system.

Cleaning the trench
Teton Fault
Teton Fault
Teton Fault

Mark, Nicole, Rich, Ryan, Dean taking out the "trash" from the base of the trench.

Mark, Nicole, Rich, Ryan, Dean taking out the "trash" from the base of the trench.

person squatting next to a trench in the ground
Trench Across West Napa Fault, California
Trench Across West Napa Fault, California
Trench Across West Napa Fault, California

Belle Philibosian next to a trench investigating the West Napa Fault near St. Helena, California, September 2017.

Belle Philibosian next to a trench investigating the West Napa Fault near St. Helena, California, September 2017.

photo of dead trees along a coastline with water and background mountains
Drowned Forest in Girdwood, AK from 1964 Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami
Drowned Forest in Girdwood, AK from 1964 Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami
Drowned Forest in Girdwood, AK from 1964 Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami

Shaking during the 1964 Alaska earthquake was felt as far away as Seattle, Washington, and its tsunamis caused 129 fatalities and about $2.3 billion in property losses (2013 dollars).

Shaking during the 1964 Alaska earthquake was felt as far away as Seattle, Washington, and its tsunamis caused 129 fatalities and about $2.3 billion in property losses (2013 dollars).

Glacier National Park
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park

View of Glacier Bay National Park from the air.

Fairweather Fault
Fairweather Fault
Fairweather Fault
Fairweather Fault

USGS research geologist Kate Scharer with her finger on the Fairweather Fault in southeast Alaska. The magnitude 7.8 Lituya Bay earthquake caused shaking that toppled trees along the fault, which left a break in the forest shown here.

USGS research geologist Kate Scharer with her finger on the Fairweather Fault in southeast Alaska. The magnitude 7.8 Lituya Bay earthquake caused shaking that toppled trees along the fault, which left a break in the forest shown here.

South Crillon Glacier
South Crillon Glacier
South Crillon Glacier
South Crillon Glacier

Nearly 60 years after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Lituya Bay, Alaska — leading to a tsunami that devastated the area — six U.S. Geological Survey geologists revisited the isolated region of Alaska, to pick up where their scientific predecessors left off.

Nearly 60 years after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Lituya Bay, Alaska — leading to a tsunami that devastated the area — six U.S. Geological Survey geologists revisited the isolated region of Alaska, to pick up where their scientific predecessors left off.

South Crillon Glacier
South Crillon Glacier
South Crillon Glacier
South Crillon Glacier

Periodic calving of ice from the snout of South Crillon Glacier.

Periodic calving of ice from the snout of South Crillon Glacier.

Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park

Trench site along the southern Fairweather Fault, in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. The alluvial fan at left consists of lake, stream channel and debris flow deposits impounded by the Fairweather Fault scarp, at right.

Trench site along the southern Fairweather Fault, in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. The alluvial fan at left consists of lake, stream channel and debris flow deposits impounded by the Fairweather Fault scarp, at right.

Alaska field team
Alaska field team
Alaska field team
Alaska field team

The field team included USGS geologists Rob Witter, Adrian Bender, Chris DuRoss, Peter Haeussler, Richard Lease and Kate Scharer

The field team included USGS geologists Rob Witter, Adrian Bender, Chris DuRoss, Peter Haeussler, Richard Lease and Kate Scharer

Standing Masonry Buildings in Kathmandu, Nepal
Standing Masonry Buildings in Kathmandu, Nepal
Standing Masonry Buildings in Kathmandu, Nepal
Standing Masonry Buildings in Kathmandu, Nepal

Standing masonry buildings in Kathmandu suggest that shaking was not amplified in the valley sediments surrounding Kathmandu

Standing masonry buildings in Kathmandu suggest that shaking was not amplified in the valley sediments surrounding Kathmandu