New Comprehensive Geologic Map of the Moon Released
USGS Astrogeology training astronauts Meteor Crater
Close Up on Jezero Crater on Mars
Astrogeology Science Center
Our mission is to serve the Nation, the international planetary science community, and the public in pursuit of new knowledge of our solar system. The USGS Astrogeology Science Center is a national resource for the integration of planetary geoscience, cartography, and remote sensing.
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The first instrumentally detected hydrothermal explosion in Yellowstone National Park The first instrumentally detected hydrothermal explosion in Yellowstone National Park
Hydrothermal explosions are one of the geological hazards most likely to impact people in Yellowstone National Park, but their frequency is poorly known. Infrasound and seismic sensors identified an explosion in Norris Geyser Basin on 15 April 2024, at 14:56 MDT (20:56 UTC)—the first instrumentally detected hydrothermal explosion in the Yellowstone region. The event affected an area tens...
Countdown to Apophis close approach—Cascading hazards from asteroid impacts Countdown to Apophis close approach—Cascading hazards from asteroid impacts
IntroductionApophis (officially 99942 Apophis, pronounced “uh-PAW-fiss”) is a Near-Earth Object. Primarily composed of the materials that make up the leftover building blocks of the solar system, Near-Earth Objects are small solar system bodies in an orbit around the Sun that brings them close to the Earth. Apophis has been classified as a “potentially hazardous object,” a Near-Earth...
Paleo-scours within the layered sulfate-bearing unit at Gale crater, Mars: Evidence for intense wind erosion Paleo-scours within the layered sulfate-bearing unit at Gale crater, Mars: Evidence for intense wind erosion
The surface of modern Mars is largely shaped by wind, but the influence of past wind activity is less well constrained. Sedimentary rocks exposed in the lower foothills of Aeolis Mons, the central mound within Gale crater, record a transition from predominantly lacustrine deposition in the Murray formation to aeolian deposition in the Mirador formation. Here, we report a series of...
Science
Python Hyperspectral Analysis Tool (PyHAT)
The Python Hyperspectral Analysis Tool (PyHAT) provides access to data processing, analysis, and machine learning capabilities for spectroscopic applications. It includes a GUI so you can get straight to analyzing data without writing any code. Or, if you are comfortable writing code, PyHAT can be imported just like any other Python package.
Analysis Ready Data
Astrogeology is a world leader in developing and releasing analysis-ready planetary science data sets that are approachable and usable by anyone. We take care of all of the processing and provide data that "just work" so that users can focus on what interests them instead of getting stuck on data processing.
Planetary Volcanology
The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volcanology. Volcanism is a key part of the chemical and thermal evolution of planetary bodies, and volcanic eruptions are one of the fundamental processes that create and alter the surface of planetary bodies. We often study volcanoes on Earth in order to better understand eruptions across the Solar System, but we also bring...