Welcome to the USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

In the News

New Evidence Argues Against Younger Dryas Extraterrestrial Impact Event

Scientist in the field

The controversial Younger Dryas impact hypothesis contends that an extraterrestrial object exploded over North America about 12,900 years ago resulting in massive wildfires, climate change, the extinction of many North American megafauna, and the demise of the Clovis culture. Certain "impact markers" found in the remains of old wetlands ("black mats") dated to 12,900 years ago were used as evidence for this hypothesis. If an extraterrestrial impact was the cause of such drastic change, the implications include an implied greater risk to humanity from impact events as well as these events being considered as potential triggers of rapid climate change.

GECSC geologist Jeff Pigati led a cooperative study funded by the USGS, the National Geographic Society, the Millennium Science Initiative, and Chile's National Commission on Scientific Research and Technology, to determine if the impact markers are actually inherent to the wetland systems in which the markers were originally found. The study shows that several of the markers are commonly found in black mats and other wetland deposits ranging in age from 6,000 to more than 40,000 years in areas far removed from the purported impact location. These findings suggest that the markers accumulated naturally in wetlands and are not the result of a catastrophic impact event.

Our Mission

Our world is being transformed due to climate variability, population growth, intensive land use, and the increasing demands on water, ecological, agricultural, energy, and mineral resources. To address these issues, the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center (GECSC) conducts research on (1) climatic, environmental, and landscape changes, (2) the geologic framework of natural resources and hazards, (3) ecological disturbance patterns resulting from natural and anthropogenic changes, and (4) the interactions among geologic, biologic, hydrologic, and human systems. This work supports policy and management decisions, the search for new sources of key materials, and the assessment of the combined environmental impacts of climate variability and human activities.

Latest Products and Highlights

May 24, 2013

In the Denver Post article Keeping up with drones, USGS UAS Project Manager Mike Hutt explains some of the advantages of using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in scientific research. The article then goes on to tell how those advantages, relatively low cost and easy access to wildlife, are—or could potentially be—employed by hunters. The legal and ethical ramifications of using UAS technology in outdoor sports are discussed.

May 20, 2013

A Framework for Quantitative Assessment of Impacts Related to Energy and Mineral Resource Development

By Seth Haines, Jay Diffendorfer (GECSC), Laurie Balistrieri, Byron Berger, Troy Cook, Don DeAngelis, Holly Doremus, Donald Gautier, Tanya Gallegos, Margot Gerritsen, Elisabeth Graffy, Sarah Hawkins, Kathleen Johnson, Jordan Macknick, Peter McMahon, Tim Modde, Brenda Pierce, John Schuenemeyer, Darius Semmens (GECSC), Benjamin Simon, Jason Taylor, and Katie Walton-Day. Published in Natural Resources Research.

Natural resource planning requires standardized methods for assessing the impacts of resource development and use. The framework presented in this paper provides such a method—an algorithm that returns a consistent, reproducible, and quantitative assessment of resource development impacts. The paper includes examples of how the algorithm could be utilized by combining data from resource assessments with biological information and geospatial data to model the effects of development on wildlife habitat.

May 13, 2013

Geological Society of America Special Paper 494, "New Perspectives on Rio Grande Rift Basins: From Tectonics to Groundwater" summarizes recent research on the Rio Grande rift of the southern Rocky Mountains. The aim of this publication is to provide better understanding of natural resources (e.g., ground water), geologic processes (e.g., natural hazards), and geologic history of this large region. Contributing to this 500-page report are many USGS scientists including GECSC members Mark Hudson (author and coeditor), Ren Thompson, Cal Ruleman, Ralph Shroba, Florian Maldonado, David Sawyer, and Scott Minor.

Archive of Latest Products and Highlights | Complete list of Publications by author

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/
Page Contact Information: Website Manager
Page Last Modified: Friday, 24-May-2013 09:02:49 Mountain Daylight Time