Beach at the southern end of Long Beach Island in the town of Holgate, NJ. Note the large eroded scarp on beach with person as scale.
Images
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.
Beach at the southern end of Long Beach Island in the town of Holgate, NJ. Note the large eroded scarp on beach with person as scale.
Native sunflowers in a Kansas Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) field
Native sunflowers in a Kansas Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) field
Abandoned center-pivot irrigated cropland results in destabilized sandy soils that are badly eroded by wind. An example of a recently plowed field in Kansas.
Abandoned center-pivot irrigated cropland results in destabilized sandy soils that are badly eroded by wind. An example of a recently plowed field in Kansas.
This map shows the distribution of select Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields for on-site assessments.
This map shows the distribution of select Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields for on-site assessments.
USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) field planted for pollinators
USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) field planted for pollinators
USGS scientist conducting agricultural research
USGS scientist conducting agricultural research
Using telemetry to track movement, habitat use and dispersal of frogs in an Iowa wetland.
Using telemetry to track movement, habitat use and dispersal of frogs in an Iowa wetland.
An aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano captured from an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) overflight video on May 31, 2018. Limited UAS flights into this hazardous area are conducted with permission and coordination with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park to collect visual information on this changing eruption site.
An aerial view of Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano captured from an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) overflight video on May 31, 2018. Limited UAS flights into this hazardous area are conducted with permission and coordination with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park to collect visual information on this changing eruption site.
Map as of 2:00 p.m. HST, May 31, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Map as of 2:00 p.m. HST, May 31, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Map as of 9:00 a.m. HST, May 31, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Map as of 9:00 a.m. HST, May 31, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Helicopter overflight shows advancing lobes from fissure 8 (fissure 8 is not pictured but located to the right, out of view). Advance rates were less than 100 yards per hour for the three lobes of the flow, as measured during the overnight hours.
Helicopter overflight shows advancing lobes from fissure 8 (fissure 8 is not pictured but located to the right, out of view). Advance rates were less than 100 yards per hour for the three lobes of the flow, as measured during the overnight hours.
Crews make visual observations of activity at fissure 8 around 5:30 a.m. HST. Fountain heights this morning continue to reach 70 to 80 m (230 to 260 ft) above ground level.
Crews make visual observations of activity at fissure 8 around 5:30 a.m. HST. Fountain heights this morning continue to reach 70 to 80 m (230 to 260 ft) above ground level.
Lava from fissure 18 travels to the southeast (lower left of photo). The flow front that had approached the ocean yesterday has stalled. This view is looking uprift, with fissure 8 in the distance (upper right of photo).
Lava from fissure 18 travels to the southeast (lower left of photo). The flow front that had approached the ocean yesterday has stalled. This view is looking uprift, with fissure 8 in the distance (upper right of photo).
Lava from fissure 8 advances on Kahukai Street. Lava in this area is as much as 3.5 yards in height.
Lava from fissure 8 advances on Kahukai Street. Lava in this area is as much as 3.5 yards in height.
This long thin, strand of volcanic glass is called Pele's hair. Named for Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, Pele's hair is formed from lava fountains and rapidly moving lava flows. This strand of Pele’s hair was found on Kupono Street in Leilani Estates, Hawaii, during the Kīlauea volcano eruption.
This long thin, strand of volcanic glass is called Pele's hair. Named for Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, Pele's hair is formed from lava fountains and rapidly moving lava flows. This strand of Pele’s hair was found on Kupono Street in Leilani Estates, Hawaii, during the Kīlauea volcano eruption.
Map as of 3:00 p.m. HST, May 30, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Map as of 3:00 p.m. HST, May 30, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted. Shaded purple areas indicate lava flows erupted in 1840, 1955, 1960, and 2014-2015.
Map as of 9:00 a.m. HST, May 30, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted—and could have changed rapidly since that time.
Map as of 9:00 a.m. HST, May 30, 2018. Given the dynamic nature of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption, with changing vent locations, fissures starting and stopping, and varying rates of lava effusion, map details shown here are accurate as of the date/time noted—and could have changed rapidly since that time.
Views Kīlauea's summit were often obscured by fog and rain today, but a break in the weather around 2:00 p.m. HST allowed HVO's webcam to capture this image of the gas and steam plume being emitted from Halema‘uma‘u.
Views Kīlauea's summit were often obscured by fog and rain today, but a break in the weather around 2:00 p.m. HST allowed HVO's webcam to capture this image of the gas and steam plume being emitted from Halema‘uma‘u.
Views Kīlauea's summit were often obscured by fog and rain today, but a break in the weather around 2:00 p.m. HST allowed HVO's webcam to capture this image of the gas and steam plume being emitted from Halema‘uma‘u.
Views Kīlauea's summit were often obscured by fog and rain today, but a break in the weather around 2:00 p.m. HST allowed HVO's webcam to capture this image of the gas and steam plume being emitted from Halema‘uma‘u.
USGS scientist Chuck Henny holds osprey
USGS scientist Chuck Henny holds osprey