Is there a tectonic plate under Yellowstone?
Seismic data reveals a rising column of molten rock beneath Yellowstone that originates at least 400 miles below Earth’s surface. This mantle plume explains why Yellowstone is located in the middle of a tectonic plate.
Could the San Andreas fault set off Yellowstone?
The reality is that there’s next to no chance of a California quake triggering a Yellowstone eruption. Even the people at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory who watch the caldera closer than anyone have said that the earthquakes measured at Yellowstone itself are not even predictive of an imminent eruption.
How deep is the volcanic pipe that was mapped under Yellowstone Park?
Some researchers suspect it originates 1,800 miles deep at Earth’s core. The plume rises from the depths northwest of Yellowstone. The plume conduit is roughly 50 miles wide as it rises through Earth’s mantle and then spreads out like a pancake as it hits the uppermost mantle about 40 miles deep.
How quickly are the plates moving at Yellowstone?
Actually, the source of the hotspot is more or less stationary at depth within the Earth, and the North America plate moves southwest across it. The average rate of movement of the plate in the Yellowstone area for the last 16.5 million years has been about 4.6 centimeters (1.8 inches) per year.
Would a nuclear bomb set off Yellowstone?
Some conspiracy theorists have claimed a Yellowstone eruption could be triggered by a nuclear bomb, but is this the case? The short answer, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), is a resounding no.
What could trigger Yellowstone?
The most likely explosive event to occur at Yellowstone is actually a hydrothermal explosion —a rock-hurling geyser eruption—or a lava flow . Hydrothermal explosions are very small; they occur in Yellowstone National Park every few years and form a crater a few meters across.
Where are the faults in Yellowstone National Park?
Faults related to the Yellowstone volcanic system are found primarily in the center of the park. Caldera boundary faults, such as those at the margin of the Henrys Fork and Yellowstone calderas, were created as their respective calderas collapsed after an eruption.
How are earthquakes tracked in Yellowstone National Park?
The park’s earthquake activity is tracked around the clock by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations, a member of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO), a cooperative effort of the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the University of Utah.
How did the Henrys Fork and Yellowstone Calderas form?
Caldera boundary faults, such as those at the margin of the Henrys Fork and Yellowstone calderas, were created as their respective calderas collapsed after an eruption. What type of volcano is the Yellowstone Volcano? What are two clues as to when the Yellowstone volcano will erupt again?
When was the last time Yellowstone Lake had an earthquake?
Rate of earthquake occurrence for the 2008-2009 Yellowstone Lake swarm (green) and 2020 swarm (red). (Public domain.) In comparison, the current swarm is much weaker in terms of total numbers of events and the energy they have released— known as the seismic moment .