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Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection. Previous Science Wednesdays.By Aaron FersterThe big yellow school buses have begun rolling into the neighborhood every morning again. The heat waves of the summer have relinquished. And I’ve noticed a leaf or two starting to…
No. Probabilities are estimated from the rate of aftershocks and these are sometimes confused with the prediction of a particular event.
Yes, the historical USGS topographic maps are being scanned and are being made available for free download through http://store.usgs.gov/ . You may also purchase printed copies of the scanned map files through this Web site. Learn more about historical USGS topographic maps at…
The USGS does not make forecasts about the future potential of a particular resource to resolve national energy needs. It is difficult to determine if oil from the Bakken Formation, or any of the formations we have done assessments on, could offset other sources of oil. A number of logistical and…
Data about water use is only one kind of water data that USGS compiles. We also collect data about the country's surface water , such as how much water is flowing in our streams and rivers, and when a river reaches 'flood stage.' Ground water is studied -- the amount of water stored in…
Floods are a dangerous hazard throughout the world, and most people underestimate the power of flood waters. On average, in the United States, about 165 people are killed and about $2 billion of damage occurs each year. Several types of data can be collected to assist hydrologists predict when and…
An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault . The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust…
During the three giant caldera-forming eruptions that occurred between 2.1 million and 640,000 years ago, tiny particles of volcanic debris ( volcanic ash ) covered much of the western half of North America, likely a third of a meter deep several hundred kilometers from Yellowstone and several…
Lava and Lava Flows The temperature of basalt lava at Kilauea reaches 1,160 degrees Celsius (2,120 degrees Fahrenheit). -- USGS/VHP Website, 1998 The tube system (lava tubes) of episode 53 (Pu'u O'o eruption, Hawaii) carried lava for 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the vent to the sea. So…
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There is no scientific explanation for the symptoms some people claim to have preceding an earthquake, and more often than not there is no earthquake following the symptoms.
An aquifer is a geologic formation that can store and transmit water to wells, springs and some streams. An aquifer is more like a sponge than an underground river: geologic materials have connected pores that allow water to move from one space to another, but unless the rock is fractured, water…