USGS-led Study: Shoreline Seasonality of California’s Beaches
One common pattern of beach morphology is the seasonal cycle of the shoreline. Shorelines often show cycles of erosion and recovery year after year, which results in recurring widening and narrowing of the beach. Scientists know that these cycles are related to ocean waves, and that larger waves cause movement of beach sand offshore whereas smaller waves move this sand back to the beach. Knowledge of these seasonal cycles comes from a long history of scientific measurement of beaches, and a general consensus is that beaches erode during winter conditions and recover during the summer. These descriptions of winter and
New study reveals insights into Yellowstone Volcanic System’s Hidden Magma Reservoirs
HILO, Hawaii — Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon State University examined the area beneath Yellowstone Volcanic system finding that although an eruption is unlikely anywhere in the area, changes to the northeast area of the volcanic system will be the key to understanding future eruptions. Scientists at USGS mapped underground areas containing magma in this volcanic system. Understanding where magma is located is essential for predicting volcanic activity and keeping the public informed about potential risks. This study gave a clear picture of how magma is distributed through the crust at Yellowstone using a method that is most sensitive
Cost-benefit study confirms coral reef restoration could be a cost-effective way to save lives and money
Researchers developed a modeling system to quantify the value coral reef restoration could provide to 1,000 kilometers, or 621 miles, of coastline in Florida and Puerto Rico. The research compared how much flooding storms could cause with and without coral reef restoration at a 10 square meter, or 108 square feet, resolution. Researchers then determined how many people and how much property and economic activity reef restoration could protect by preventing coastal flooding. "Coral reefs are natural coastal barriers that can substantially reduce coastal flooding and erosion,” said Curt Storlazzi, lead author and research geologist from the U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS-Led Study Reassesses Earthquake Hazard Potential for Central California’s Hosgri Fault
Regional map showing the main fault structures that are part of the Pacific–North American plate boundary along central California. The San Gregorio–Hosgri fault system is predominantly located near the coastline and highlighted in red. Inset map shows the focus region of this study where the Cross-Hosgri slope is located. A new study from United States Geological Survey (USGS) researchers and industry partners uses advanced sub-surface analyses and sediment dating to reassess the slip rate of the Hosgri fault off the central California coast. The research was led by Dr. Jared Kluesner, USGS Research Geophysicist at the Pacific Coastal and Marine
New USGS-FEMA study highlights economic earthquake risk in the United States
The new estimate is twice that of previous annual estimates due to increased building value and the fact that the report incorporates the latest hazards as well as improvements to building inventories. Earthquake losses from the last few decades in the U.S. have ranged about $1.5 to 3 billion per year depending upon the timeframe. While less than the figures suggested by long-term loss estimates from this study, a single large earthquake impacting a populated urban area would quickly make up the difference in losses in one fell swoop. “It is fitting that this report was released on the same
New Wave Glider will study Earthquake Processes along U.S. Subduction Zones
The SV3 wave glider allows USGS scientists and collaborators to collect seafloor geodetic data, which relies on accurate measurements of the Earth's geometric shape, gravity field, and orientation in space to continuously monitor seafloor movement. The principal scientific objectives are to constrain shallow strain accumulation between large earthquakes and to estimate the amount of strain released during and shortly after large subduction zone earthquakes. Equipped to collect global navigation satellite system and acoustic ranging (GNSS-A) seafloor geodetic data from some of Earths most critical remaining data gaps, the glider can travel faster between sites and operate in high current areas like Alaska, thanks
First study to quantify global earthquake risk to mineral supplies
GOLDEN, Colo. — A new scientific mechanism for assessing the potential risk to worldwide mineral commodity supplies from seismic activity has been developed by USGS scientists. The methodology was developed through studying copper and rhenium but provides a framework for future studies assessing many other mineral commodities around the globe. Earthquakes have the potential to substantially affect mining operations, leading to supply chain disruptions that adversely affect the global economy. This new study quantifies that risk to copper and rhenium supply by examining the impact of earthquakes on mining, smelting, and refining operations across the globe. Many of the largest
USGS deploys “aftershock kits” to study Whitehouse Station earthquakes
The team is deploying five “aftershock kits” this week, which will gather information such as where aftershocks originate in the area, how long they last, and their magnitude, said Greg Tanner, a USGS electronics technician assigned to the USGS’s Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, who is on the team installing kits. This effort is being performed in cooperation with partners at the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, the Texas Seismological Network at the University of Texas at Austin, Rutgers University, and Yale University, that are also deploying seismic sensors. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area