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Science Topics

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Science Topics

How to use this
topical index
USGS mission areas and programs
Geographic indexes: States -- Ecosystems -- Coastal/Offshore -- International

The topical directory below provides an alternate way to browse USGS science programs and activities. It is not an exhaustive list of all USGS science topics but provides a categorization using a thesaurus of related terms that will give you definitions, links to science content, and a structured approach to discovery. [About the thesaurus]

  [Expand all categories][Collapse all categories]
Atmosphere and Climate
acid rain, air-sea interaction, atmospheric circulation, atmospheric deposition, climate change, desertification, droughts, global change, global warming, greenhouse effect, precipitation, storms, wind, ... [more] ... [less]
Earth Characteristics
bathymetry, biostratigraphy, bouguer anomaly, earth history, earth structure, Earth's core, Earth's crust, Earth's mantle, fossils, free-air anomaly, geologic history, geologic structure, gravity, igneous rocks, isostatic anomaly, land surface, lithostratigraphy, magnetic field, metamorphic rocks, rocks and deposits, sedimentary rocks, snow and ice cover, stratigraphy, unconsolidated deposits, ... [more] ... [less]
Ecology and Environment
aquatic ecosystems, benthic ecosystems, biodiversity, biogeography, deserts, ecological competition, ecological processes, ecosystem diversity, ecosystem functions, ecosystems, environmental assessment, estuarine ecosystems, forests, freshwater ecosystems, grasslands, habitat alteration, habitats, island ecosystems, shrublands, tundras, wetlands, ... [more] ... [less]
Environmental Issues
abandoned mines and quarries, contamination and pollution, deforestation, desertification, ground-water quality, health and disease, human impacts, industrial pollution, land use, land use change, marine water quality, mine drainage, mining hazards, nonpoint-source pollution, oil spills, overfishing, pesticides and herbicides, pharmaceuticals, recreation, surface water quality, toxic radionuclides, toxic trace elements, waste treatment and disposal, water quality, ... [more] ... [less]
Geographic Analysis and Mapping
administrative and political boundaries, aerial photography, cartography, geologic mapping, geospatial analysis, maps and atlases, remote sensing, spatial analysis, topography, ... [more] ... [less]
Geologic Processes
erosion, faulting, folding, geochemistry, geologic mapping, land subsidence, plate tectonics, rock deformation, sedimentation, soil chemistry, water chemistry, ... [more] ... [less]
Hydrologic Processes
glaciation, ground-water flow, ground-water level, hydrodynamics, hydrology, percolation, runoff, saltwater intrusion, scour, sediment transport, streamflow, water circulation, water cycle, ... [more] ... [less]
Natural Hazards
algal blooms, droughts, dust storms, earthquake occurrences, earthquake preparedness, earthquake probabilities, earthquakes, fire control, fires, floods, hazards, hurricanes, ice storms, impact cratering, lahars, landslides, liquefaction, magnetic storms, storm surge, tsunamis, volcanic activity, volcanic eruption prediction, volcanic gas emission, volcanoes, ... [more] ... [less]
Natural Resources
coal resources, commercial fisheries, energy resources, fishery resources, forest resources, geothermal resources, inland fisheries, marine fisheries, mineral resources, mining and quarrying, natural gas resources, natural resource management, oil resources, placer deposit mining, resource exploration, resource extraction, soil resources, water resources, well drilling, ... [more] ... [less]
Oceans and Coastlines
air-sea interaction, coastal ecosystems, coastal zones, marine ecosystems, marine fisheries, marine geology, marine geophysics, marine water quality, ocean characteristics, ocean circulation, ocean currents, ocean processes, ocean salinity, ocean temperature, ocean tides, ocean waves, oceanic lithosphere, paleoceanography, reef ecosystems, sea-floor characteristics, sea-level change, ... [more] ... [less]
Planets
impact cratering, meteorites, planetary bodies, planetary sciences, ... [more] ... [less]
Plants and Animals
animals, aquatic vegetation, capturing and trapping, carnivores, endangered species, extinction and extirpation, flowering plants, genetic diversity, genetics, herbivores, invasive species, invertebrates, microbiology, migratory species, mosses, paleobotany, palynology, plant and animal testing, plants, pollinators, seasonal migration, species diversity, vegetation, vertebrates, wildlife, wildlife population management, ... [more] ... [less]
Techniques and Methods
aerial photography, aeromagnetic surveying, aeroradiometric surveying, camera calibration, computational methods, core analysis, field methods, geographic information systems (GIS), geolocation measurement, image analysis, isotopic analysis, laboratory methods, luminescence dating, mathematical modeling, mathematical simulation, photography, real-time monitoring and reporting, remote sensing, risk assessment, statistical analysis, topological analysis, tree ring analysis, ... [more] ... [less]
Water Resources
aquifers, domestic water use, drainage basins, droughts, estuaries, floodplains, floods, ground water, ground-water quality, industrial water use, irrigation, lakes, movement and recharge, runoff, saltwater intrusion, sediment transport, streamflow, surface water, surface water quality, thermal features, water budget, water properties, water quality, water supply and demand, water use, ... [more] ... [less]
Alphabetical Index of Topics a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 
Specific things by name
ANWR, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, DEM, Galeras, Katrina, Krakatoa, Mississippi River, MODFLOW, Mount Merapi, Mount Pinatubo, Mount St. Helens, Mount Vesuvius, Pangea, Richter scale, Ring of fire, Rock cycle, San Andreas Fault, Yellowstone,

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