What Day Did Yellowstone Volcano Erupt Again
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NPS / Diane Renkin
Most of Earth's history (from the germination of the earth 4.6 billion years agone to approximately 541 meg years ago) is known as the Precambrian time. Rocks of this age are found in northern Yellowstone and in the hearts of the nearby Teton, Beartooth, Wind River, and Gros Ventre mountain ranges. During the Precambrian and the subsequent Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras (541 to 66 million years ago), the western United States was covered at times by oceans, sand dunes, tidal flats, and vast plains. From the finish of the Mesozoic through the early Cenozoic, mountain-building processes formed the Rocky Mountains.
During the Cenozoic era (approximately the concluding 66 million years of Earth's history), widespread mountain-building, volcanism, faulting, and glaciation sculpted the Yellowstone area. The Absaroka Range along the park's north and east sides was formed by numerous volcanic eruptions about fifty million years ago. This catamenia of volcanism is not related to the nowadays Yellowstone volcano.
Approximately 30 one thousand thousand years ago, vast expanses of today's West began stretching apart along an east–west axis. This ongoing stretching process increased virtually 17 million years ago and created the mod basin and range topography (north–south mountain ranges with long north–due south valleys) which characterizes much of the West, including the Yellowstone surface area.
About 16.5 1000000 years ago, an intense catamenia of volcanism initiated nearly the borders of present-day Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho. Subsequent volcanic eruptions tin can be traced across southern Idaho towards Yellowstone. This 500-mile trail of more than 100 calderas was created as the North American plate moved in a southwestern direction over a shallow body of magma. About 2.ane million years ago, the move of the North American plate brought the Yellowstone area closer to the shallow magma torso. This volcanism remains a driving force in Yellowstone today.
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Yellowstone's Restless Giant
The Yellowstone supervolcano is one of our planet's restless giants. Could it erupt in our lifetimes? Detect how geologists are monitoring the pulse of the Yellowstone volcano. Duration: 6 minutes.
- Duration:
- 5 minutes, 55 seconds
Adapted with permission from Windows into the Earth past Robert Smith and Lee J. Siegel, 2000
Magma, Hot Spots, and the Yellowstone Supervolcano
Magma (molten stone from beneath the world'southward crust) is close to the surface in the greater Yellowstone area. This shallow body of magma is caused by heat convection in the mantle. Plumes of magma rise through the pall, melting rocks in the crust, and creating magma reservoirs of partially molten, partially solid rock. Mantle plumes transport heat from deep in the curtain to the crust and create what we telephone call "hot spot" volcanism. Hot spots leave a trail of volcanic activity as tectonic plates drift over them. Every bit the North American Plate drifted west over the terminal 16.5 million years, the hot spot that at present resides under the greater Yellowstone surface area left a swath of volcanic deposits across Idaho's Snake River Apparently.
Estrus from the mantle plume has melted rocks in the crust, and created ii magma chambers of partially molten, partially solid stone near Yellowstone's surface. Oestrus from the shallowest magma chamber caused an area of the crust to a higher place it to expand and rise. Stress on the overlying crust resulted in increased convulsion activity along newly formed faults. Somewhen, these faults reached the magma chamber and magma oozed through the cracks. Escaping magma released pressure inside the chamber, which also allowed volcanic gasses to escape and expand explosively in a massive volcanic eruption. The eruption spewed copious volcanic ash and gas into the temper and produced fast, super-hot debris flows (pyroclastic flows) over the existing landscape. Equally the cloak-and-dagger magma chamber emptied, the ground above it collapsed and created the first of Yellowstone's 3 calderas.
This eruption 2.1 million years agone—amongst the largest volcanic eruptions known to homo—coated 5,790 square miles with ash, every bit far away as Missouri. The total volcanic material ejected is estimated to have been vi,000 times the volume of material ejected during the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens, in Washington.
A second pregnant, though smaller, volcanic eruption occurred within the western border of the start caldera approximately i.3 million years ago. The third and most recent massive volcanic eruption 631,000 years ago created the present thirty- by 45-mile-wide Yellowstone Caldera. Since and so, 80 smaller eruptions have occurred. Approximately 174,000 years ago, ane of these created what is at present the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. During and after these explosive eruptions huge lava flows of viscous rhyolitic lava and less voluminous basalt lava flows partially filled the caldera flooring and surrounding terrain. The youngest of these lava flows is the lxx,000 yr former Pitchstone rhyolite menstruation in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park.
Since the last of three caldera-forming eruptions, pressure from the shallow magma trunk has formed 2 resurgent domes inside the Yellowstone Caldera. Magma may be as little as 3–eight miles beneath Sour Creek Dome and eight–12 miles below Mallard Lake Dome, and both domes inflate and subside as the volume of magma or hydrothermal fluids changes below them. The unabridged caldera floor lifts upward or subsides, too, just not as much as the two domes. In the past century, the net inflation has tilted the caldera flooring toward the southward. As a result, Yellowstone Lake'south southern shores accept subsided and trees now stand in water, and the north terminate of the lake has risen into a sandy beach at Fishing Span.
Adjusted with permission from Windows into the Earth by Robert Smith and Lee J. Siegel, 2000
Contempo Activity
Remarkable basis deformation has been documented forth the cardinal centrality of the caldera between Erstwhile Faithful and White Lake in Pelican Valley in historic fourth dimension. Surveys of suspected ground deformation began in 1975 using vertical-motion surveys of benchmarks in the ground. By 1985 the surveys documented unprecedented uplift of the entire caldera in backlog of a meter (3 ft). Afterward GPS measurements revealed that the caldera went into an episode of subsidence (sinking) until 2005 when the caldera returned to an episode of extreme uplift. The largest vertical motion was recorded at the White Lake GPS station, inside the caldera's eastern rim, where the total uplift from 2004 to 2010 was virtually 27 centimeters (10.6 in).
The charge per unit of rise slowed in 2008 and the caldera began to subside once again during the first half of 2010. The uplift is believed to exist acquired by the movement of deep hydrothermal fluids or molten rock into the shallow crustal magma system at a depth of about 10 km beneath the surface. A caldera may undergo episodes of uplift and subsidence for thousands of years without erupting. Notably, changes in uplift and subsidence accept been correlated with increases of earthquake activity. Lateral discharge of these fluids away from the caldera, and the accompanying earthquakes, subsidence, and uplift relieves pressure level and could act as a natural pressure level release valve balancing magma recharge and keeping Yellowstone condom from volcanic eruptions.
Futurity Volcanic Activity
Will Yellowstone's volcano erupt again? Over the next thousands to millions of years? Probably. In the side by side few hundred years? Not likely.
The most likely activity would be lava flows, such as those that occurred later the last major eruption. A lava flow would ooze slowly over months and years, allowing plenty of fourth dimension for park managers to evaluate the situation and protect people. No scientific show indicates such a lava flow will occur soon.
To monitor volcanic and seismic activity in the Yellowstone area the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) was established in 2001. YVO is partnership of scientists from the US Geological Survey, National Park Service, University of Utah, Academy of Wyoming, University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO) and the state Geological Surveys of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. YVO scientists monitor Yellowstone volcano with a real fourth dimension and near real-time monitoring network of 26 seismic stations, 16 GPS receivers, and 11 stream gauging stations. Scientists also collect data is on temperature, chemistry, and gas concentrations at selected hydrothermal features and chloride concentrations in major rivers. A monthly activeness summary, real-time monitoring of seismicity and water flow, and near real-time monitoring of ground deformation, tin can be found at the Yellowstone Volcanic Observatory website.
Adapted with permission from Windows into the Earth past Robert Smith and Lee J. Siegel, 2000
Oft Asked Questions
Is Yellowstone a volcano?
Yeah. Within the past two meg years, some volcanic eruptions have occurred in the Yellowstone area—three of them super eruptions.
What is the caldera shown on the park map?
The Yellowstone caldera was created by a massive volcanic eruption approximately 631,000 years agone. Subsequently lava flows filled in much of the caldera, at present information technology is xxx 10 45 miles. Its rim tin best exist seen from the Washburn Hot Springs overlook, south of Dunraven Pass. Gibbon Falls, Lewis Falls, Lake Butte, and Flat Mountain Arm of Yellowstone Lake are part of the rim.
When did the Yellowstone volcano last erupt?
Approximately 174,000 years agone, creating what is now the Due west Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. In that location have been more than 60 smaller eruptions since then and the last of the lx–80 post-caldera lava flows was about seventy,000 years ago.
Is Yellowstone'southward volcano still active?
Yes. The park's many hydrothermal features attest to the estrus yet beneath this surface area. Earthquakes—700 to iii,000 per yr— too reveal activity below ground. The University of Utah Seismograph Station tracks this activity closely.
What is Yellowstone National Park doing to stop or prevent an eruption?
Cipher can be done to prevent an eruption. The temperatures, pressures, physical characteristics of partially molten stone, and immensity of the magma chamber are beyond man ability to impact—much less command.
What is a supervolcano?
A "supervolcano" refers to volcano capable of an eruption more than 240 cubic miles of magma. Two of Yellowstone'southward three major eruptions met the criteria.
Volition the Yellowstone volcano erupt shortly?
Some other caldera-forming eruption is theoretically possible, simply it is very unlikely in the next thousand or even 10,000 years. Scientists have also found no indication of an imminent smaller eruption of lava in more than 30 years of monitoring.
How do scientists know the Yellowstone volcano won't erupt?
Scientists from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory watch an assortment of monitors in place throughout the region. These monitors would notice sudden or strong earthquake action, ground shifts, and volcanic gasses that would indicate increasing activity. No such bear witness exists at this time.
In add-on, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists collaborate with scientists from all over the earth to study the hazards of the Yellowstone volcano. View electric current data nigh earthquakes, basis movement, and stream menstruum.
If Old Faithful Geyser quits, is that a sign the volcano is about to erupt?
All geysers are highly dynamic, including Old Faithful. Nosotros expect Old Faithful to change in response to the ongoing geologic processes associated with mineral deposition and earthquakes. Thus, a modify in Old Faithful Geyser will non necessarily indicate a change in volcanic activity.
Hydrothermal Systems
Yellowstone's hydrothermal systems are the visible expression of the immense Yellowstone volcano.
Hydrothermal Features
Yellowstone preserves globe's virtually extraordinary collection of hot springs, geysers, mudpots, fumaroles, and travertine terraces.
Red Mountains
A mountain range near Heart Lake located entirely within Yellowstone and named for their red volcanic stone.
Geology
A volcano, geysers and other thermal features, earthquakes, and glaciers shape Yellowstone's mural.
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Source: https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/volcanoqa.htm
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