This report of accomplishments of the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska during 1981 contains summary and topical accounts of the results of studies on a wide range of topics of economic and scientific interest. In addition, many more detailed maps and reports are included in the lists of references cited for each article and in the appended compilations of 277 reports on Alaska published by the U.S. Geological Survey and of 103 reports, by U.S. Geological Survey authors in various other scientific publications.