Core Science Systems Mission Area | U.S. Geological Survey
Source: https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/core-science-systems
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:11
Core Science Systems Mission Area | U.S. Geological Survey
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National Geospatial Program
Your Source for Topographic Information
The National Map
Data Science: Converting Data into Actionable Knowledge
Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
Learn More
USGS Library
Online Catalog
Core Science Systems Mission Area
Home
Programs
Data
Maps
Multimedia
Publications
News
Connect
Partners
About
Core Science Systems Mission Area
USGS CSS serves as the primary national civilian mapping agency, including topographic and geologic mapping for Federal and State requirements, national geospatial coordination, satellite operations and remote sensing. Our products and data are necessary to understand, monitor, and detect changes that affect the Nation’s natural and agricultural resources, the economy, public safety, and security.
Read The Mission Overview
National Geospatial Program
The National Geospatial Program is the Federal civilian mapping agency and provides the digital geospatial foundation for the Nation. It engages partners and communities of use to collaboratively produce consistent and accurate topographic map data.
Learn More
Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program
The Science Synthesis Analysis, and Research (SSAR) Program provides analysis and synthesis of scientific data and information, interdisciplinary research to improve understanding of Earth system changes, and preservation of scientific data and samples and library collections.
Learn More
Other CSS Quick Links
3D Elevation Program (3DEP)
National Hydrography
3D Hydrography Program (3DHP)
Core Research Center
Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
National Land Imaging Program
Our Research on a Tire Chemical and its Impact on Fish Featured in LakeLine Magazine
April 14, 2026
Our Research on a Tire Chemical and its Impact on Fish Featured in LakeLine Magazine
Nighttime Imaging Grows Landsat’s Science Value
April 13, 2026
Nighttime Imaging Grows Landsat’s Science Value
Landsat 9 Products Impacted by 2025 Safehold Now Available
April 6, 2026
Landsat 9 Products Impacted by 2025 Safehold Now Available
View All
January 14, 2026
A new inventory and conservation assessment of United States islands
A new inventory and conservation assessment of United States islands
To support conservation-focused research and management we developed a new 30-m resolution polygon data layer of the nonlacustrine and nonriverine islands of the United States, with associated attributes describing key physical and conservation geography characteristics. Islands were grouped into a three-tiered hierarchy of island regions (twelve), island provinces (twenty-eight), and...
Authors
Roger Sayre, Madeline T. Martin, Nadia Naji, Kelly B. Sides, Jill Janene Cress, Kevin Butler, Keith Van Graafeiland, Deniz Karagulle, Charlie Frye, Sean Breyer, Dawn Wright, John Klavitter, Dena Spatz, David Will, Gregg Howald, Alex Wegmann, Charlotte K. Stanley, Nick Holmes
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
December 15, 2025
Multi-temporal surface water mapping with high-resolution elevation and image data through weakly supervised deep learning
Multi-temporal surface water mapping with high-resolution elevation and image data through weakly supervised deep learning
Monitoring the extent of surface water features (hydrography), accurately storing them in databases, and representing them on topographic maps are essential for various applications such as navigation and policy-making for legislative boundaries and permitting. In this context, hydrographic data includes features that generally have water present or image data showing signs that water is...
Authors
Larry Stanislawski, Rongjun Qin, Jung-Kuan Liu, Ethan J. Shavers, Shaowen Wang, Nattapon Jaroenchai, Philip T. Thiem
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS)
September 12, 2025
GIScience in the era of Artificial Intelligence: A research agenda towards Autonomous GIS
GIScience in the era of Artificial Intelligence: A research agenda towards Autonomous GIS
The advent of generative AI exemplified by large language models (LLMs) opens new ways to represent and compute geographic information and transcends the process of geographic knowledge production, driving geographic information systems (GIS) towards autonomous GIS. Leveraging LLMs as the decision core, autonomous GIS can independently generate and execute geoprocessing workflows to...
Authors
Zhenlong Li, Huan Ning, Song Gao, Krzysztof Janowicz, Wenwen Li, Samantha T. Arundel, Chaowei Yang, Budhendra Bhaduri, Shaoweng Wang, A-Xing Zhu, Mark Gahegan, Shashi Shekhar, Xinyue Ye, Grant McKenzie, Guido Cervone, Michael Hodgson
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS)
View All
March 25, 2026
Las Moras Wash Restoration: Integrated Geomorphic Assessment, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management
The Las Moras Wash, within the Santa Margarita Ranch, Altar Valley, AZ, exhibits channel incision, gully expansion, head‑cut migration, vegetation loss, and reduced hydrologic connectivity between upper watershed and floodplains.
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Western Geographic Science Center
Las Moras Wash Restoration: Integrated Geomorphic Assessment, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management
March 25, 2026
Las Moras Wash Restoration: Integrated Geomorphic Assessment, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management
The Las Moras Wash, within the Santa Margarita Ranch, Altar Valley, AZ, exhibits channel incision, gully expansion, head‑cut migration, vegetation loss, and reduced hydrologic connectivity between upper watershed and floodplains.
Learn More
March 9, 2026
Fire Science
Wildfires shape landscapes and affect everything from water supplies to wildlife habitats. The USGS studies fire patterns and their effects using remote sensing data to map and characterize wildland fuels, monitor fire risks, model fire behavior, forecast fire danger, and assess post-fire recovery. This work tracks spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem disturbance including wildland-urban...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
National Land Imaging Program
,
Wildland Fire Science
Fire Science
March 9, 2026
Fire Science
Wildfires shape landscapes and affect everything from water supplies to wildlife habitats. The USGS studies fire patterns and their effects using remote sensing data to map and characterize wildland fuels, monitor fire risks, model fire behavior, forecast fire danger, and assess post-fire recovery. This work tracks spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem disturbance including wildland-urban...
Learn More
March 9, 2026
Water and Drought
Water sustains communities, agriculture, and ecosystems — and when drought strikes, the effects ripple across all of them. The USGS monitors water availability, surface water extent, and quality at regional, national, and global scales using remote sensing, watershed modeling, and evapotranspiration data. We track vegetation stress, water use, and drought impacts on wildfire risk, invasive species...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
National Land Imaging Program
Water and Drought
March 9, 2026
Water and Drought
Water sustains communities, agriculture, and ecosystems — and when drought strikes, the effects ripple across all of them. The USGS monitors water availability, surface water extent, and quality at regional, national, and global scales using remote sensing, watershed modeling, and evapotranspiration data. We track vegetation stress, water use, and drought impacts on wildfire risk, invasive species...
Learn More
View All
Was this page helpful?
Skip to main content
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock (
)
or
https://
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
National Geospatial Program
Your Source for Topographic Information
The National Map
Data Science: Converting Data into Actionable Knowledge
Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
Learn More
USGS Library
Online Catalog
Core Science Systems Mission Area
Home
Programs
Data
Maps
Multimedia
Publications
News
Connect
Partners
About
Core Science Systems Mission Area
USGS CSS serves as the primary national civilian mapping agency, including topographic and geologic mapping for Federal and State requirements, national geospatial coordination, satellite operations and remote sensing. Our products and data are necessary to understand, monitor, and detect changes that affect the Nation’s natural and agricultural resources, the economy, public safety, and security.
Read The Mission Overview
National Geospatial Program
The National Geospatial Program is the Federal civilian mapping agency and provides the digital geospatial foundation for the Nation. It engages partners and communities of use to collaboratively produce consistent and accurate topographic map data.
Learn More
Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program
The Science Synthesis Analysis, and Research (SSAR) Program provides analysis and synthesis of scientific data and information, interdisciplinary research to improve understanding of Earth system changes, and preservation of scientific data and samples and library collections.
Learn More
Other CSS Quick Links
3D Elevation Program (3DEP)
National Hydrography
3D Hydrography Program (3DHP)
Core Research Center
Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
National Land Imaging Program
Our Research on a Tire Chemical and its Impact on Fish Featured in LakeLine Magazine
April 14, 2026
Our Research on a Tire Chemical and its Impact on Fish Featured in LakeLine Magazine
Nighttime Imaging Grows Landsat’s Science Value
April 13, 2026
Nighttime Imaging Grows Landsat’s Science Value
Landsat 9 Products Impacted by 2025 Safehold Now Available
April 6, 2026
Landsat 9 Products Impacted by 2025 Safehold Now Available
View All
January 14, 2026
A new inventory and conservation assessment of United States islands
A new inventory and conservation assessment of United States islands
To support conservation-focused research and management we developed a new 30-m resolution polygon data layer of the nonlacustrine and nonriverine islands of the United States, with associated attributes describing key physical and conservation geography characteristics. Islands were grouped into a three-tiered hierarchy of island regions (twelve), island provinces (twenty-eight), and...
Authors
Roger Sayre, Madeline T. Martin, Nadia Naji, Kelly B. Sides, Jill Janene Cress, Kevin Butler, Keith Van Graafeiland, Deniz Karagulle, Charlie Frye, Sean Breyer, Dawn Wright, John Klavitter, Dena Spatz, David Will, Gregg Howald, Alex Wegmann, Charlotte K. Stanley, Nick Holmes
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
December 15, 2025
Multi-temporal surface water mapping with high-resolution elevation and image data through weakly supervised deep learning
Multi-temporal surface water mapping with high-resolution elevation and image data through weakly supervised deep learning
Monitoring the extent of surface water features (hydrography), accurately storing them in databases, and representing them on topographic maps are essential for various applications such as navigation and policy-making for legislative boundaries and permitting. In this context, hydrographic data includes features that generally have water present or image data showing signs that water is...
Authors
Larry Stanislawski, Rongjun Qin, Jung-Kuan Liu, Ethan J. Shavers, Shaowen Wang, Nattapon Jaroenchai, Philip T. Thiem
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS)
September 12, 2025
GIScience in the era of Artificial Intelligence: A research agenda towards Autonomous GIS
GIScience in the era of Artificial Intelligence: A research agenda towards Autonomous GIS
The advent of generative AI exemplified by large language models (LLMs) opens new ways to represent and compute geographic information and transcends the process of geographic knowledge production, driving geographic information systems (GIS) towards autonomous GIS. Leveraging LLMs as the decision core, autonomous GIS can independently generate and execute geoprocessing workflows to...
Authors
Zhenlong Li, Huan Ning, Song Gao, Krzysztof Janowicz, Wenwen Li, Samantha T. Arundel, Chaowei Yang, Budhendra Bhaduri, Shaoweng Wang, A-Xing Zhu, Mark Gahegan, Shashi Shekhar, Xinyue Ye, Grant McKenzie, Guido Cervone, Michael Hodgson
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS)
View All
March 25, 2026
Las Moras Wash Restoration: Integrated Geomorphic Assessment, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management
The Las Moras Wash, within the Santa Margarita Ranch, Altar Valley, AZ, exhibits channel incision, gully expansion, head‑cut migration, vegetation loss, and reduced hydrologic connectivity between upper watershed and floodplains.
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
Western Geographic Science Center
Las Moras Wash Restoration: Integrated Geomorphic Assessment, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management
March 25, 2026
Las Moras Wash Restoration: Integrated Geomorphic Assessment, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management
The Las Moras Wash, within the Santa Margarita Ranch, Altar Valley, AZ, exhibits channel incision, gully expansion, head‑cut migration, vegetation loss, and reduced hydrologic connectivity between upper watershed and floodplains.
Learn More
March 9, 2026
Fire Science
Wildfires shape landscapes and affect everything from water supplies to wildlife habitats. The USGS studies fire patterns and their effects using remote sensing data to map and characterize wildland fuels, monitor fire risks, model fire behavior, forecast fire danger, and assess post-fire recovery. This work tracks spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem disturbance including wildland-urban...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
National Land Imaging Program
,
Wildland Fire Science
Fire Science
March 9, 2026
Fire Science
Wildfires shape landscapes and affect everything from water supplies to wildlife habitats. The USGS studies fire patterns and their effects using remote sensing data to map and characterize wildland fuels, monitor fire risks, model fire behavior, forecast fire danger, and assess post-fire recovery. This work tracks spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem disturbance including wildland-urban...
Learn More
March 9, 2026
Water and Drought
Water sustains communities, agriculture, and ecosystems — and when drought strikes, the effects ripple across all of them. The USGS monitors water availability, surface water extent, and quality at regional, national, and global scales using remote sensing, watershed modeling, and evapotranspiration data. We track vegetation stress, water use, and drought impacts on wildfire risk, invasive species...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area
,
National Land Imaging Program
Water and Drought
March 9, 2026
Water and Drought
Water sustains communities, agriculture, and ecosystems — and when drought strikes, the effects ripple across all of them. The USGS monitors water availability, surface water extent, and quality at regional, national, and global scales using remote sensing, watershed modeling, and evapotranspiration data. We track vegetation stress, water use, and drought impacts on wildfire risk, invasive species...
Learn More
View All
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