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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16780

Sandstone copper assessment of the Teniz Basin, Kazakhstan

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts national and global resource assessments (mineral, energy, water, and biological) to provide data and scientific analyses to support decision making. Three-part mineral resource assessments result in informed, unbiased, quantitative, and probabilistic estimates of undiscovered mineral resources and deposits. In particular, mineral assessment results infor
Authors
Pamela M. Cossette, Arthur A. Bookstrom, Timothy S. Hayes, Gilpin R. Robinson, John C. Wallis, Michael L. Zientek

Remote sensing with simulated unmanned aircraft imagery for precision agriculture applications

An important application of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) may be remote-sensing for precision agriculture, because of its ability to acquire images with very small pixel sizes from low altitude flights. The objective of this study was to compare information obtained from two different pixel sizes, one about a meter (the size of a small vegetation plot) and one about a millimeter. Cereal rye (Sec
Authors
E. Raymond Hunt, Craig S.T. Daughtry, Steven B. Mirsky, W. Dean Hively

Monitoring Everglades freshwater marsh water level using L-band synthetic aperture radar backscatter

The Florida Everglades plays a significant role in controlling floods, improving water quality, supporting ecosystems, and maintaining biodiversity in south Florida. Adaptive restoration and management of the Everglades requires the best information possible regarding wetland hydrology. We developed a new and innovative approach to quantify spatial and temporal variations in wetland water levels w
Authors
Jin-Woo Kim, Zhong Lu, John Jones, C. K. Shum, Hyongki Lee, Yuanyuan Jia

Methods and equations for estimating peak streamflow per square mile in Virginia’s urban basins

Models are presented that describe Virginia urban area annual peak streamflow per square mile based on basin percent urban area and basin drainage area. Equations are provided to estimate Virginia urban peak flow per square mile of basin drainage area in each of the following annual exceedance probability categories: 0.995, 0.99, 0.95, 0.9, 0.8, 0.67, 0.5, 0.43, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, 0.005,
Authors
Samuel H. Austin

Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tungsten processing plants, a critical part of the tungsten supply chain

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzes supply chains to identify and define major components of mineral and material flows from ore extraction, through intermediate forms, to a final product. Two major reasons necessitate these analyses: (1) to identify risks associated with the supply of critical and strategic minerals to the United States and (2) to provide greater supply chain transparency
Authors
Omayra Bermúdez-Lugo

Relaxed selection causes microevolution of seawater osmoregulation and gene expression in landlocked Alewives

Ecological transitions from marine to freshwater environments have been important in the creation of diversity among fishes. Evolutionary changes associated with these transitions likely involve modifications of osmoregulatory function. In particular, relaxed selection on hypo-osmoregulation should strongly affect animals that transition into novel freshwater environments. We used populations of t
Authors
Jonathan P. Velotta, Stephen D. McCormick, Rachel J. O'Neill, Eric T. Schultz

Nonlesions, misdiagnoses, missed diagnoses, and other interpretive challenges in fish histopathology studies: a guide for investigators, authors, reviewers, and readers

Differentiating salient histopathologic changes from normal anatomic features or tissue artifacts can be decidedly challenging, especially for the novice fish pathologist. As a consequence, findings of questionable accuracy may be reported inadvertently, and the potential negative impacts of publishing inaccurate histopathologic interpretations are not always fully appreciated. The objectives of t
Authors
Jeffrey C. Wolf, Wes A. Baumgartner, Vicki Blazer, Alvin C. Camus, Jeffrey A. Engelhardt, John W. Fournie, Salvatore Frasca, David B. Groman, Michael L. Kent, Lester H. Khoo, Jerry M. Law, Eric D. Lombardini, Christine Ruehl-Fehlert, Helmut E. Segner, Stephen A. Smith, Jan M. Spitsbergen, Klaus Weber, Marilyn J. Wolfe

Synthesis of thirty years of surface water quality and aquatic biota data in Shenandoah National Park: Collaboration between the US Geological Survey and the National Park Service

The eastern United States has been the recipient of acidic atmospheric deposition (hereinafter, “acid rain”) for many decades. Deleterious effects of acid rain on natural resources have been well documented for surface water (e.g., Likens et al. 1996; Stoddard et al. 2001), soils (Bailey et al. 2005), forest health (Long et al. 2009), and habitat suitability for stream biota (Baker et al. 1993). S
Authors
Karen C. Rice, John D. Jastram, John E. B. Wofford, James P. Schaberl

Raman spectroscopic characterization of CH4 density over a wide range of temperature and pressure

The positions of the CH4 Raman ν1 symmetric stretching bands were measured in a wide range of temperature (from −180 °C to 350 °C) and density (up to 0.45 g/cm3) using high-pressure optical cell and fused silica capillary capsule. The results show that the Raman band shift is a function of both methane density and temperature; the band shifts to lower wavenumbers as the density increases and the t
Authors
Linbo Shang, I-Ming Chou, Robert Burruss, Ruizhong Hu, Xianwu Bi

Late Holocene sea level variability and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Pre-twentieth century sea level (SL) variability remains poorly understood due to limits of tide gauge records, low temporal resolution of tidal marsh records, and regional anomalies caused by dynamic ocean processes, notably multidecadal changes in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). We examined SL and AMOC variability along the eastern United States over the last 2000 years, usin
Authors
Thomas M. Cronin, Jesse R. Farmer, R. E. Marzen, E. Thomas, J.C. Varekamp

Pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine hydrochloride following intramuscular and intravenous administration to American kestrels (Falco sparverius)

Objective—To determine the pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine hydrochloride after IM and IV administration to American kestrels (Falco sparverius). Animals—13 healthy 3-year-old captive-bred American kestrels. Procedures—Buprenorphine hydrochloride (0.6 mg/kg) was administered IM to all birds. Blood samples were collected at 9 times, ranging from 5 minutes to 9 hours after drug administration. Plas
Authors
Kate A. Gustavsen, David Sanchez-Migallon Guzman, Heather K. Knych, Olivia A. Petritz, Glenn H. Olsen, Joanne R. Paul-Murphy

Modeling future scenarios of light attenuation and potential seagrass success in a eutrophic estuary

Estuarine eutrophication has led to numerous ecological changes, including loss of seagrass beds. One potential cause of these losses is a reduction in light availability due to increased attenuation by phytoplankton. Future sea level rise will also tend to reduce light penetration and modify seagrass habitat. In the present study, we integrate a spectral irradiance model into a biogeochemical mod
Authors
Pilar del Barrio, Neil K. Ganju, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta, Melanie Hayn, Andrés García, Robert W. Howarth