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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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Two people installing equipment through the door of a small airplane.
Scientists install a camera for aerial photographic surveys
Scientists install a camera for aerial photographic surveys
Scientists install a camera for aerial photographic surveys

Biological Technician Laura (Laney) White and Research Biologist, Josh Adams install a newly modified camera mount for in flight testing. This mount tilts forward and back to minimize glare and improve image quality.

Biological Technician Laura (Laney) White and Research Biologist, Josh Adams install a newly modified camera mount for in flight testing. This mount tilts forward and back to minimize glare and improve image quality.

USGS pilots landing a Unmanned Aerial Systems (uas) on  Dauphin Island, Alabama
USGS pilot landing an unmanned aerial system on Dauphin Island, AL
USGS pilot landing an unmanned aerial system on Dauphin Island, AL
USGS pilot landing an unmanned aerial system on Dauphin Island, AL

 USGS unmanned aerial system (drone) pilot collecting aerial imagery and ground control points for the Coastal Resource Evaulation for Management Applications (CREMA) project on Dauphin Island, Alabama

 USGS unmanned aerial system (drone) pilot collecting aerial imagery and ground control points for the Coastal Resource Evaulation for Management Applications (CREMA) project on Dauphin Island, Alabama

Photo of USGS scientist opening groundwater well housing, surrounded by snow
USGS Groundwater Monitoring in Winter
USGS Groundwater Monitoring in Winter
USGS Groundwater Monitoring in Winter

Groundwater science doesn't take a winter vacation! In this photo, USGS hdyrologic technician Jeremiah Pomerleau has snowshoed to a USGS groundwater monitoring site in Eustis, Maine. USGS scientists visit USGS groundwater observation wells year-round to measure water levels and maintain equipment.

Groundwater science doesn't take a winter vacation! In this photo, USGS hdyrologic technician Jeremiah Pomerleau has snowshoed to a USGS groundwater monitoring site in Eustis, Maine. USGS scientists visit USGS groundwater observation wells year-round to measure water levels and maintain equipment.

Groundwater: Child about to get water from a groundwater well.
Groundwater might seem like magic to a youngster.
Groundwater might seem like magic to a youngster.
Groundwater might seem like magic to a youngster.

You may know that groundwater serves many purposes worldwide. Of course, drinking water and domestic uses of water are major components of those uses. The ways of getting at groundwater differ depending on the local underground conditions.

You may know that groundwater serves many purposes worldwide. Of course, drinking water and domestic uses of water are major components of those uses. The ways of getting at groundwater differ depending on the local underground conditions.

employee clearing the ice and snow for a streamflow measurement
Clearing the Ice
Clearing the Ice
Clearing the Ice

Clearing the ice and snow to measure streamflow in South Fork Spread Creek. 

Clearing the ice and snow to measure streamflow in South Fork Spread Creek. 

Airborne images of Tern Lake, Yellowstone 1994 2006 2017
High-spatial-resolution airborne images of Tern Lake, Yellowstone
High-spatial-resolution airborne images of Tern Lake, Yellowstone
High-spatial-resolution airborne images of Tern Lake, Yellowstone

High-spatial-resolution airborne images of the Tern Lake area from 1994, 2006, and 2017. The area of bright pixels identified in the Landsat-8 thermal infrared image corresponds to a newly emerging area of warm ground and tree kills about 32,500 m2 (8 acres, or 4 soccer fields) in area.

High-spatial-resolution airborne images of the Tern Lake area from 1994, 2006, and 2017. The area of bright pixels identified in the Landsat-8 thermal infrared image corresponds to a newly emerging area of warm ground and tree kills about 32,500 m2 (8 acres, or 4 soccer fields) in area.

night time satellite image Tern Lake, Yellowstone
Landsat-8 nighttime thermal infrared image, Tern Lake, Yellowstone
Landsat-8 nighttime thermal infrared image, Tern Lake, Yellowstone
Landsat-8 nighttime thermal infrared image, Tern Lake, Yellowstone

Landsat-8 nighttime thermal infrared image from April 2017 showing the Tern Lake area. In Yellowstone, temperatures are extremely cold at night in the winter, and most lakes are frozen (dark pixels). West Tern Lake seems to be thawing here - perhaps it receives some thermal waters from nearby hot springs.

Landsat-8 nighttime thermal infrared image from April 2017 showing the Tern Lake area. In Yellowstone, temperatures are extremely cold at night in the winter, and most lakes are frozen (dark pixels). West Tern Lake seems to be thawing here - perhaps it receives some thermal waters from nearby hot springs.

Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park
Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, 2019
Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, 2019
Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, 2019

Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park. Most of Yellowstone's more than 10,000 thermal features are clustered together into about 120 distinct thermal areas (shown in red). Lakes are blue. The Yellowstone Caldera is solid black and the resurgent domes are dotted black. Roads are yellow.

Map of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park. Most of Yellowstone's more than 10,000 thermal features are clustered together into about 120 distinct thermal areas (shown in red). Lakes are blue. The Yellowstone Caldera is solid black and the resurgent domes are dotted black. Roads are yellow.

image related to volcanoes. See description
Native sulfur crystals precipitate at Sulphur Banks via a chemical reaction betw
Native sulfur crystals precipitate at Sulphur Banks via a chemical reaction betw
Native sulfur crystals precipitate at Sulphur Banks via a chemical reaction betw

Native sulfur crystals precipitate at Sulphur Banks via a chemical reaction between different sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. USGS image by P. Nadeau.

Native sulfur crystals precipitate at Sulphur Banks via a chemical reaction between different sulfur-bearing volcanic gases. USGS image by P. Nadeau.

image related to volcanoes. See description
An HVO geologist removes the sampling tube following the gas collection. Inserti
An HVO geologist removes the sampling tube following the gas collection. Inserti
An HVO geologist removes the sampling tube following the gas collection. Inserti

An HVO geologist removes the sampling tube following the gas collection. Inserting the tube down into the degassing source limits contamination of the volcanic gas sample by atmospheric gases. USGS image by P. Nadeau.

An HVO geologist removes the sampling tube following the gas collection. Inserting the tube down into the degassing source limits contamination of the volcanic gas sample by atmospheric gases. USGS image by P. Nadeau.

image related to volcanoes. See description
Collecting gas samples at Sulphur Banks
Collecting gas samples at Sulphur Banks
Collecting gas samples at Sulphur Banks

HVO gas geochemists periodically collect gas samples at Sulphur Banks, near the Kīlauea Visitor Center, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Samples are analyzed for bulk chemistry and for helium isotopes. The results are compared to previous measurements to evaluate potential changes in activity at the volcano.

HVO gas geochemists periodically collect gas samples at Sulphur Banks, near the Kīlauea Visitor Center, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Samples are analyzed for bulk chemistry and for helium isotopes. The results are compared to previous measurements to evaluate potential changes in activity at the volcano.

Landsat image of Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 3, 2019
Kandahar - March 3, 2019
Kandahar - March 3, 2019
Kandahar - March 3, 2019

Landsat 8 image of Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 3, 2019, rendered with bands 7, 5, and 1 of the satellite's Operational Land Imager.

Landsat 8 image of Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 3, 2019, rendered with bands 7, 5, and 1 of the satellite's Operational Land Imager.

River, sky, clouds and foliage
Delaware River at Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA
Delaware River at Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA
Delaware River at Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA

Photo of the Deleware River near Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA.

A USGS technician measures the overflow of water on a flooded roadway
Spring 2019 Flooding - Forestburg, SD
Spring 2019 Flooding - Forestburg, SD
Spring 2019 Flooding - Forestburg, SD

USGS Dakota Water Science Center hydrologic technician Mark Brazones is using a handheld acoustic meter to measure the road overflow at the James River near Forestburg, SD. 

USGS Dakota Water Science Center hydrologic technician Mark Brazones is using a handheld acoustic meter to measure the road overflow at the James River near Forestburg, SD. 

USGS hydrologists conducts water quality sampling from a bridge during flooding
Spring 2019 Flooding - Louisville, NE
Spring 2019 Flooding - Louisville, NE
Spring 2019 Flooding - Louisville, NE

After record flooding in the Midwest, USGS crews mobilized to take important water measurements.

After record flooding in the Midwest, USGS crews mobilized to take important water measurements.

Measuring high water on the Big Sioux River
USGS crews respond to flooding on the Big Sioux River
USGS crews respond to flooding on the Big Sioux River
USGS crews respond to flooding on the Big Sioux River

USGS scientists and technicians took water measurements during flooding on the Big Sioux River near Hawarden, Iowa in March 2019.

USGS scientists and technicians took water measurements during flooding on the Big Sioux River near Hawarden, Iowa in March 2019.

USGS technician measures flooding on Big Sioux River
USGS crews respond to flooding on the Big Sioux River
USGS crews respond to flooding on the Big Sioux River
USGS crews respond to flooding on the Big Sioux River

USGS technician Chris Broz helps take water measurements on the Big Sioux River during record flooding in March, 2019.

USGS technician Chris Broz helps take water measurements on the Big Sioux River during record flooding in March, 2019.

Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections
Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections
Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections
Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections

Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections.

image related to volcanoes. See description
Reading the rainbow: How to interpret an interferogram
Reading the rainbow: How to interpret an interferogram
Reading the rainbow: How to interpret an interferogram

COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) Interferogram for the period from April 6 to June 2, 2019, covering Kīlauea Volcano's summit region. Each color fringe represents 1.65 centimeters (0.65 inches) of ground displacement.

COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) Interferogram for the period from April 6 to June 2, 2019, covering Kīlauea Volcano's summit region. Each color fringe represents 1.65 centimeters (0.65 inches) of ground displacement.

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