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Earth and climate Institution

USGS

U.S. geological survey that publishes information and resources about Earth sciences.

United States Geological Survey headquarters at sunset.
Properties and conditions
NameUnited States Geological Survey
CountryUnited States
FieldEarth sciences

Definition and context

The United States Geological Survey offers observations, research, and reference resources on Earth sciences. Its explanations of Earth’s interior let readers consult evidence and distinguish concepts such as crust, mantle, and lithosphere.

An institutional publication may be very useful for established principles and have an old publication date. Before using it for a current question, it is advisable to check whether an update or more recent work exists. This distinction matters especially in areas of active research. At SciClue, the link points to the document used for a particular concept and makes it easier to verify its scope. The source’s presence does not imply editorial collaboration with or approval of our content by the agency.

What we know and its limits

Introductory reference sheet. Properties and applications depend on measurement conditions; consult the sources before making comparisons.

Follow the evidence

The original sources for exploring this explanation and its limits.

  1. The Interior of the Earth U.S. Geological Survey
    Seismic and experimental evidence about Earth's layers.
  2. Are the tectonic plates floating on magma? U.S. Geological Survey
    Why the asthenosphere is not a global ocean of magma.
Image credits

United States Geological Survey — Usgs-headquarters · No machine-readable author provided. Joshuadavisphotography assumed (based on copyright claims). · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Original source · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Resized and re-encoded as JPEG; full framing preserved.

The SciClue Editorial Team is responsible for creating and publishing this content. AI supports information gathering, source research and drafting within an editorial process that includes source and consistency checks. How we work.
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