Images

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting research to guide the recovery of the threatened Elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, in Dry Tortugas National Park and throughout the western Atlantic.

Ocean Beach in San Francisco looking north

The U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is conducting research to guide the restoration and recovery of the threatened elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, in Dry Tortugas National Park and throughout the western Atlantic.

The USGS will be using an autonomous surf vehicle, built by Peter Traykovski of WHOI, to map the bathymetry of the Pea Island DUNEX Experiment Site. 

The autonomous surf vehicle, built and controlled remotely  by Peter Traykovski of WHOI, is used to map the bathymetry of the Pea Island DUNEX Experiment Site. 

Tropical Storm Eta affected beaches along Florida's Gulf Coast in November 2020. Some dunes were eroded up to several feet due to the high water levels associated with the storm. Madeira Beach is home to many people and animals, and erosion events such as this can affect both habitat and infrastructure.

A view of a salt marsh pond on the left, and a tidal creek on the right at Plum Island, Massachusetts.

Tropical Storm Eta had effects on Florida's Gulf Coast beaches, including dune erosion and overwash. This image from the coast cam at Madeira Beach, Florida captured high water levels and resulting overwash of sand onto the patio of the Shoreline Resort.

Robert Scharping, a post-doctoral fellow jointly appointed by the USGS and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) measures water chemistry 40’ underwater and underground in Double Keyhole Cave near the coastline of Tampa Bay Florida.

An image of 24 June 2020 (B4) and prehistoric (P2) outlier rockfall boulders within the Mount Whitney Trailhead Campground. Boulder P2 is approximately 3 m tall. The blue dashed line indicates one of several tent sites affected by the 2020 rockfalls.

Established in 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Coral Assessment Network (USGS-CAN) provides data on coral-growth (calcification) rates throughout the Florida Keys. Pictured here is one of 30 stations located in in Dry Tortugas National Park.

This screenshot was taken from a video created for the virtual 2020 St. Petersburg Science Festival that discussed Coastal Change Hazards research at the USGS. Justin Birchler is seen walking up the beach with GPS equipment to measure the elevation of the beach.

Waves are the motion of the water's surface, usually caused by the transfer of energy from wind. Wave energy causes the water to move in a circular motion. The height and length of these waves combined with the slope of the beach influence how high the water can reach up on the coast.

A Cascades Volcano Observatory field team completes the installation of the combined seismic/GPS station YOCR, at Mount Hood.

View of the combined seismic/GPS station BRSP, on the north flank of Mount Hood, Oregon. Mount Hood is pictured in the distance.

A USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory field team finishes the installation of the combined seismic/GPS station, YOCR, at Mount Hood, Oregon.

Combined seismic/GPS station LSON, on Mount Hood, installed at the end of September 2020. LSON is one of three new stations that enhance the existing monitoring network at this high-threat volcano.

USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory Geophysicist Rebecca Kramer works on the installation of the GPS mast at new station LSON, at Mount Hood. The GPS measures subtle ground deformation that can occur in response to magma entering or leaving the magma reservoir several miles below the summit.

USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory Geophysicist Emily Montgomery-Brown uses a drill to create a small hole in volcanic rock that will support a GPS mast. The effort was part of a three-station installation project at Mount Hood in 2020. This station location is called BRSP.

Volcano Disaster Assistance Program Geophysicist Jeremy Pesicek digs a hole for a seismometer at station BRSP, on the north flank of Mount Hood. The seismometer, which detects earthquakes, is buried at a depth of at least 1 meter (3 feet).

USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory Geophysicist Wes Thelen, removes ropes from new station LSON, at Mount Hood (Mount Hood is pictured in the distance).