U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A group of scientists wrapped up a deep-sea expedition in the western Aleutians this summer. They explored parts of the ocean floor no human has ever been before, and they found huge populations of healthy coral and sponges.

The name “Nazi Creek” will no longer be used for federal databases or maps. On Thursday, the Domestic Names Committee for the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted unanimously to rename Alaska’s Nazi Creek to “Kaxchim Chiĝanaa.” In English, the name can be translated to “creek or river belonging to Kangchix̂ or gizzard island” or “gizzard creek,” and reflects the Unangax̂ name for the island of Little Kiska, which sits about 240 miles east of Attu, in the Western Aleutians.

A cluster of earthquakes struck about 110 miles southeast of Unalaska throughout the day Tuesday. Scientists say the earthquakes are normal for the region, and no one has reported feeling them in the U.S. Geological Survey’s Felt Report database.

A group of scientists from Colorado is using drone technology to keep an eye on activity in Makushin Volcano.

The Okeanos Explorer docked in Unalaska last month, after finishing its first of six expeditions, mapping out the deep seafloor around the Aleutian Islands and discovering three gas seeps. According to NOAA, the discovery is crucial because these gas seeps can create unique surrounding habitats and provide potential sources of alternative energy and biopharmaceuticals.

Two western Aleutian volcanoes are showing signs of unrest, signaling the potential for an eruption in the coming days or weeks.

People living in Aleutian communities are no strangers to the occasional earthquake. But in recent years, the region has seen some ramped up seismic activity, including a magnitude-6.2 earthquake that hit just about 40 miles south of Unalaska earlier this month. KUCB’s Maggie Nelson sat down with Rob Witter, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, to hear more about the island’s recent earthquake and how that fits into the larger picture of seismic activity in the Aleutians.

A magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit about 58 miles southeast of Nikolski early Tuesday morning, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center.Natalia Ruppert, a seismologist with the AEC in Fairbanks, said the earthquake hit at about 2:30 a.m. and was preceded and followed by more seismic activity.

A magnitude-5.4 earthquake shook Unalaska and Akutan over the weekend.The quake struck Saturday at 5:25 a.m. about 20 miles south of Akutan, according to…