Yellowstone National Park, located primarily in the state of Wyoming, is home to some of the most active volcanic activity in the continental United States. The Yellowstone caldera, the most active supervolcano in the world, sits across the states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming and has been formed over the past 2 million years. Violent eruptions have shaped the region as late as 600,000 years ago, the latest eruption being just 70,000 years ago. Of course, the volcanic activity of the region is responsible for the many geysers, hot springs and mud pots that have brought millions of sight seers to the park over the past few hundred years. Earthquakes are common throughout the region as well. Mainly, low magnitude quakes beneath the surface but as high as 6.1 in 1975 and 7.5 on the Richter scale as recently as 1959.
Yellowstone's geothermic, hydrothermic and volcanic activity is due to a stationary hot spot in the mantle below the Earth's crust. Similar hot spots can be seen throughout the world, the Hawaiian island chain in the Pacific Ocean and in Iceland. Tectonic plates moving a couple of inches a year slide above these areas creating geologic formations and a raising and lowering of the Yellowstone plateau.
The past three catastrophic eruptions have significantly reshaped the area and caused smoke, ash and debris to be spewed across western and central United States. "Ash deposits from these powerful eruptions have been mapped as far away as Iowa, Missouri, Texas, and even northern Mexico".
Could we be due for another eruption?
Fortunately, there is no immediate threat, as there are no signs of impending danger. But, as you can see from Yellowstone's tumultuous history another catastrophic eruption is a real possibly. An eruption of this magnitude would be devastating, worst case scenario, an apocalyptic event, killing billions and possibly changing the global climate forever. Previous eruptions have been about every 600,000 years, putting us about 40,000 years overdue. Geologists, however, continue to study and monitor the area for changes in geothermic activity, changes in toxic gas pressure and other signs of volcanic activity.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3024/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-unlikely_n_1569214.html
If you recall the 2011 disaster film, 2012, scenes depicting an estimation of a cataclysmic eruption of the Yellowstone caldera are shown.
Could we be due for another eruption?
Fortunately, there is no immediate threat, as there are no signs of impending danger. But, as you can see from Yellowstone's tumultuous history another catastrophic eruption is a real possibly. An eruption of this magnitude would be devastating, worst case scenario, an apocalyptic event, killing billions and possibly changing the global climate forever. Previous eruptions have been about every 600,000 years, putting us about 40,000 years overdue. Geologists, however, continue to study and monitor the area for changes in geothermic activity, changes in toxic gas pressure and other signs of volcanic activity.
Related Articles: National Geographic & USGS
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110119-yellowstone-park-supervolcano-eruption-magma-science/http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3024/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-unlikely_n_1569214.html
If you recall the 2011 disaster film, 2012, scenes depicting an estimation of a cataclysmic eruption of the Yellowstone caldera are shown.
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Yellowstone/description_yellowstone.html (1).
http://www.armageddononline.org/yellowstone_caldera.php (2).
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