Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Map by Alejandro Tumas Credits User Permissions When was the last time Yellowstone erupted? 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. What is a supervolcano? While Yellowstone is relatively stable right now and has not displayed any unusual seismic activity lately, if it were to erupt, the consequences could be extreme. There's nothing static about Yellowstone's geothermal features, Hesler said. "Yellowstone is one of the biggest supervolcanos in the world," he says. The public, without prompting from geologists, gets excited when anything out of the ordinary . How much volcanic activity has there been at Yellowstone since the most recent giant eruption? But not only was the park open, but the ground in Yellowstone has also actually been subsiding, or deflating, in recent years. The last major eruption in Yellowstone took place a little more than 630,000 years ago. His work has appeared in VICE, National Geographic, World Soccer and The Blizzard, and has been a guest on Times Radio. But as long as these processes do not stray too far outside normal levels they are not considered a sign that an eruption is imminent. How big is the magma chamber under Yellowstone? "This is perhaps the most common misconception about Yellowstone, and about volcanoes in general. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Most volcanic systems that have a supereruption do not have them multiple times. Given that supervolcanoes often go through periods of unrest, including seismic activity, ground deformation, and gas emissions, the monitoring of these processes must contend with the challenge of differentiating "normal" unrest from signs that an eruption is imminent, the authors of the Nature study wrote. Wednesday, March 1, 2023, 9:30 AM MST (Wednesday, March 1, 2023, 16:30 UTC), There were no recorded eruptions of Steamboat Geyser during the month of February, and the total number of eruptions for the year remains at two. Though we've been looking at Yellowstone for years, no one has yet identified "long-period (LP) events" commonly attributed to magma movement. Within the next few decades, light-to-moderate earthquakes and steam explosions are certain to occur. Other 'supervolcanoes' would likely include the large caldera volcanoes of Japan, Indonesia, Alaska (e.g. Every few thousand years, a hydrothermal explosion will form a crater as much as a few hundred meters across. Tracking changes in Yellowstone's restless volcanic system, The Quaternary and Pliocene Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, Volcanic ash fall - a "hard rain" of abrasive particles. Despite starting the problem for years and looking for strategies to reduce the impact and prevent it,NASAfindings concluded politicians would be unlikely to fund the millions necessary to minimize a Yellowstone eruption risk. How do scientists know whats going on beneath the ground at Yellowstone? Scientists are monitoring the volcano 24 hours a day, measuring everything from geyser eruptions, hot spring temperaturesand ground uplift. With a previous eruption occurring a little more than 600,000 years before that. The most recent volcanic activity at Yellowstone consisted of rhyolitic lava flows that erupted approximately 70,000 years ago. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Yellowstone volcano is estimated to have last erupted 640,000, 1.2 million and 2.1 million-years-ago. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Why the Yellowstone Supervolcano Could Be Huge Smithsonian Channel 4.03M subscribers Subscribe 35K 5.3M views 7 years ago One of the world's largest supervolcanoes erupted 2.1 million years ago. The most likely explosive event to occur at Yellowstone is actually a hydrothermal explosion (a rock hurling geyser eruption) or a lava flow. Having said that, eruption forecasting has significantly improved in the past two decades or so, and there are now a number of signs scientists can look for that may be giveaways of an imminent eruption. But that's not how volcanoes work. Volcanoes do not work in predictable ways and their eruptions do not follow predictable schedules. These could range in size dramatically, and may or may not include explosive phases. The largest of these flows formed the Pitchstone Plateau in southwestern Yellowstone National Park. Why are there so many earthquakes at Yellowstone? Yellowstone is the largest volcanic system in North America, second-most in the world, and its most active supervolcano hotspot has moved toward the Northeast over time. This update, Yellowstone National Park, a nearly 9,000 km2(~3,468 mi2) area, was preserved in 1872 as the worlds first national park for its unique, extraordinary, and magnificent natural features. Tracking changes in Yellowstone's restless volcanic system, The Quaternary and Pliocene Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. What is the biggest negative impact associated with a Yellowstone eruption? If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. All rights reserved. Since the giant explosion 631,000 years ago, there have been dozens of smaller eruptive events leading right up until the lava flow of 70,000 years ago. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Other recent research has examined the processes taking place under the ground in the Yellowstone region, shedding light on the eruptive potential of the volcano. Consequences of eruptions fromU.S. volcanoes can extend farbeyond the volcanos immediatearea. The Yellowstone supervolcano is an eight out of eight on the Volcanic Explosivity Index but has only erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years. They can blast out clouds of hot tephra from the side or top of a volcano. Yellowstone is the site of the largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world and the first National Park. In a related report by The Inquisitr, it's claimed that the recent Yellowstone earthquakes won't trigger a volcano, but scientists have acknowledged that if a Yellowstone volcano were to erupt the Continue reading Yellowstone . Learn more:Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. It occurred on December 21st, 2012 as Earth Crust Displacement begun during the apocalypse. The largest event of the month was a minor earthquake of magnitude 2.9 located about 11 miles northeast of West Yellowstone, Montana, on February 7 at 8:44 PM MST. In the paper, scientists analyzed seismic data to map the location and amount of meltthe liquid part of magmaunder the caldera. Just because Yellowstone has produced three very large eruptions over the last 2.2 million years doesn't mean that you should expect such an eruption. This comes out to an average of about 725,000 years between eruptions. "The ground surface at Yellowstone is moving all the time, sometimes up and sometimes down, and it would not be cause for concern unless it was outside the normal patterns," Kari Cooper, a professor and chair of the University of California, Davis Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, told the Associated Press. Rimmed by a crescent of older mountainous terrain, Yellowstone National Park has at its core the Quaternary Yellowstone Plateau, an undulating landscape shaped by forces of late Cenozoic explosive and effusive vol, The superlative hot springs, geysers, and fumarole fields of Yellowstone National Park are vivid reminders of a recent volcanic past. This event was part of a swarm of 76 earthquakes that occurred in the area during February 411. Official websites use .gov Of these eruptions, at least 27 were rhyolite lava flows in the caldera, 13 were rhyolite lava flows outside the caldera, and 40 were basalt vents outside the caldera. Many volcanoes go through cycles of activity and inactivity, Poland said. "Neither condition is in place at Yellowstone right now," he added. The authors of the Science article found that more melt was present than had previously been recognized and that it was located at shallow depths in the crustin the depth range where previous eruptions were sourced. Steam Explosions, Earthquakes, and Volcanic EruptionsWhats in Yellowstones Future? A possible Yellowstone volcano eruption in 2014 has some people pointing to how animals have been spotted fleeing the national park in recent days. Michael Poland, scientist-in-charge at the YVO, told the AP "only if we saw a really dramatic uplift"for example, the ground rising feet in weeks or months"would it be something that we thought might be a hazardous change.". Rimmed by a crescent of older mountainous terrain, Yellowstone National Park has at its core the Quaternary Yellowstone Plateau, an undulating landscape shaped by forces of late Cenozoic explosive and effusive vol, At least 170 volcanoes in 12 Statesand 2 territories have erupted inthe past 12,000 years and havethe potential to erupt again. The gigantic volcano in Yellowstone has erupted three times over the last two million years, covering a huge area of surrounding land. Hydrothermal explosions are very small; they occur in Yellowstone National Park every few years and form a crater a few meters across. (In fact, the Yellowstone supervolcano is also called the Yellowstone caldera.) A map of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, shows the outline of the caldera of the massive Yellowstone supervolcano. The explosion will be so powerful that huge amounts of ash will be ejected into the stratosphere. What is the difference between "magma" and "lava"? The most recent volcanic activity at Yellowstone consisted of rhyolitic lava flows that erupted approximately 70,000 years ago. This movementin particular uplift, or elevation of the groundcan be a sign that magma is moving toward the surface but this is not necessarily an indicator of an imminent eruption. What is a supereruption? That's what a bevy of conspiracy-minded bloggers have been claiming, anyway. Every few thousand years, a hydrothermal explosion will form a crater as much as a few hundred meters across. One occurred 2.1 million years ago, one 1.3. Those farther away wont have to deal with the explosion, but the outlook mightnot be much better. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. UPDATED VERSION - https://youtu.be/O3-X3CNsVVsI know that Yellowstone eruption will be much more powerful than this, but this is hardly working on my pc it f. "That seismicity would need to be coupled with really extreme ground deformation (tens of centimeters over the same short period), park-wide changes in geyser activity, and thermal/gas emissions. You cannot download interactives. The scientists also believe that this swelling will take place for many years prior to the next eruption possibly as many as several hundred years. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. But at some point, Yellowstone is going to erupt. Those parts of the surrounding states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming that are closest to Yellowstone would be affected by pyroclastic flows, while other places in the United States would be impacted byfalling ash (the amount of ash would decrease with distance from the eruption site). Volcanism on an immense scale largely shaped the unique landscape of central and western Yellowstone Park, and intimately related tectonism and seismicity continue even now. An example of GPS data can be found at http://www.unavco.org/instrumentation/networks/status/pbo/data/NRWY (click on Static Plots / Cleaned), The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) provides long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake activity in the Yellowstone National Park region. But unlike the San Andreas Fault, its not an earthquake that is a disaster waiting to happen in Yellowstone its a massive volcanic eruption. Old Faithful is predicted to erupt at 8:43pm 10 minutes on August 21, 2022. The deeper reservoir is composed of basalt (a low-silica rock type) and extends from 20 to 50 Scientists use the term magma for molten rock that is underground and lava for molten rock that breaks through the Earth's surface. He is drawn to the weird, wonderful and under examined, as well as anything related to life in the Arctic Circle. The supervolcano is still active and could blow at any time. Although no eruptions of lava or volcanic ash have occurred for many thousands of years, future eruptions are likely. "Initial findings were that the magma chamber beneath Yellowstone was only 5-15% molten. The resulting magma eventually feeds into a chamber just below Yellowstone. If LP events are observed, that will NOT mean Yellowstone is getting ready to erupt. However, there will be losses. It has erupted before and it will erupt again. Research published in the journal Science in December 2022 found that the Yellowstone caldera holds more liquid molten rock than previously estimated. Hazardous volcanic conditions might la, When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. The next eruption will li. Volcanologists have suggested that the ramification they are most concerned about is wind-flung ash, which could end up coating a surrounding region 500 miles (800 kilometers) across in more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of ash. The inhaled ash would form a cement-like mixture within the lungs, leading to gradual suffocation. The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) is a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Yellowstone National Park, the University of Utah, the University of Wyoming, UNAVCO, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, the Idaho Geological Survey, and the Wyoming State Geological Survey. The Yellowstone Caldera has a molten rock that reaches 12 to 28 miles beneath the surface. Types of Hydrothermal Features. In the next few hundred years, hazards will most probably be limited to ongoing geys, This region of Yellowstone National Park has been the active focus of one of the Earth's largest magmatic systems for more than 2 million years. Yellowstone is not overdue for an eruption. Winds would also carry ash to Europe and the rest of the world, where it could trigger extreme weather changes. How overdue is a Yellowstone eruption? All of the hot springs, geysers, steaming mud pots, and steam vents in Yellowstone National Park are caused by the massive amount of heat underground. "Given Yellowstone's past history, the yearly probability of another caldera-forming eruption could be calculated as 1 in 730,000 or 0.00014%. Yellowstone National Park sits atop a giant supervolcano that is considered to be active, albeit currently dormant. Immediately after and for some years they may be difficult to live in if not impossible but they will survive. "This really just confirms what we already know about Yellowstone". The shallower one is composed of rhyolite (a high-silica rock type) and stretches from 5 km to about 17 km (3 to 10 mi) beneath the surface and is about 90 km (55 mi) long and about 40 km (25 mi) wide. When it comes to lava and magma flows spewing forth from this volcanic eruption, Yellowstone National Park would likely need to evacuate everyone within a 40 to 50 mile radius. Recently, a Facebook video claimed incorrectly that Yellowstone park had been closed down to rising volcanic uplift, indicating that this was a sign of an upcoming eruption. The biggest difference between then and now is that the Earth did not have such a huge population of humans to feed after the last eruptions. This will kill many animals, including humans, that try to breathe it in. A short documentary by What If asks: What if the Yellowstone Volcano erupted tomorrow? The documentary runs a Yellowstone Volcano eruption simulation to explore what the subsequent effects would be,the Expressreported. On 17 August 1959, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the Yellowstone area and kicked off a 73-million-metric-ton landslide that dammed the Madison River. We look at overall thermal emissions from space, collect gas and water to assess chemistry over time, and track stream/river flow and chemistry.". "Continued monitoring of the subsurface should provide a clear picture if the situation begins to dramatically change," the researchers wrote in the paper. YVO is one of the five USGS Volcano Observatories that monitor volcanoes within the United States for science and public safety.YVO Member agencies: USGS, Yellowstone National Park, University of Utah, University of Wyoming, Montana State University, UNAVCO, Inc., Wyoming State Geological Survey, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Idaho Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The resulting volcanism has been characterized by the eruption of voluminous rhyolites and subordinate basalts but virtually no lavas of intermediate composition. Ash, mudflows, and lava flows can devastate communities near volcanoes and cause havoc in areas far downwind, downstream, and downslope. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior (opens in new tab), "the surrounding states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming that are closest to Yellowstone would be affected by pyroclastic flows, while other places in the United States would be impacted by falling ash." (Image credit: zrfphoto via Getty Images), In rare case, mother delivers two sets of identical twins, back to back, 'Brain-eating' amoeba case in Florida potentially tied to unfiltered water in sinus rinse, Painful 'cross-shaped incision' in medieval woman's skull didn't kill her, but second surgery did, Human brain looks years 'older' after just one night without sleep, small study shows. Furthermore, the volcanism that gave rise to Yellowstone's hydrothermal displays was only pa, Possible future violent events in the active hydrothermal, magmatic, and tectonic system of Yellowstone National Park pose potential hazards to park visitors and infrastructure. Keep in mind that this evacuation order would go far beyond a 50-mile radius due to the amount of ash and debris that follows lava or magma substances. The caldera system has had plenty of smaller . RealLifeLore RealLifeLore goes on to say that lava from the volcano would destroy just about everything within a 40-mile radius of. "The eruption of Mount St. Helens would be a small firecracker compared to one of the major caldera eruptions of Yellowstone," Fairley said. The caldera inside Yellowstone National Park spreads over the three states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and poses a significant threat in the event of a supereruption. And that means there is far less likelihood of a consequential eruption. All Rights Reserved, Nicole is On Track to Strike Florida as Hurricane on Wednesday Night, Nicole Tracking to Florida as Category 1 Hurricane, Winter Warnings in West, Last Lunar Eclipse For 3 Years, Hurricane Warnings for East Coast, Flood and Severe Weather Threats, 3 Systems in Atlantic Could Approach US. The most likely explosive event to occur at Yellowstone is actually a hydrothermal explosion (a rock hurling geyser eruption) or a lava flow. Volcanic debris from these eruptions has been discovered as far south as Louisiana and as far west as California. As was mentioned earlier, the Yellowstone volcano has erupted several times in the last couple million years and we still have life on Earth today. One such solution that NASA is looking. Hydrothermal explosions are very small; they occur in Yellowstone National Park every few years and form a crater a few meters across. Steam explosions, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions -- what's in Yellowstone's future? A simple illustration of the inside of the Yellowstone Volcano. "An obvious but key requirement for an eruption is the presence of magma," Cooper wrote in a "Perspective" article about the Science study. The last full-scale eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano, the Lava Creek eruption which happened nearly 640,000 years ago, ejected approximately 240 cubic miles of rock, dust and volcanic ash into the sky.Geologists are closely monitoring the rise and fall of the Yellowstone Plateau, which measures on average 0.6 inches yearly, as an While there are some (to put it mildly) inaccuracies with the clip, fascination surrounds the volcano. Though we've been looking at Yellowstone for years, no one has yet identified "long-period (LP) events" commonly attributed to magma movement. Millions of people would die, in the immediate . Official websites use .gov Lava flows would be the most likely type of volcanic eruption. Tracking changes in Yellowstone's restless volcanic system. Yellowstone National Park is unique beyond its overwhelming beauty, highest-elevation lake in North America, and abundant wildlife its geothermal features. New York, That is one thing human intelligence has going for it. Two of these areas produced large . The explosion of the Toba supervolcano, located on the modern island of Sumatra, some 74,000 years ago was Earth's largest volcanic eruption in the past 28 million years and formed a caldera. Despite the tools now available to scientists, one study published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment last year found that giant supervolcano eruptions are hard to predict because they are so diverse in the rapidity of onset, duration of eruption, and triggering mechanisms, among other factors. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The park is rich inhydrothermal featuresevidence of the magma that lies beneath the surface. Most scientists think that the buildup preceding a catastrophic eruption would be detectable for weeks and perhaps months to years. Chart and map of ancient eruptions of Yellowstone supervolcano. A new study has found that before a catastrophic eruption takes place, the ground will likely begin to swell up. The magmatic system at depth remains active and drives the massive hydrothermal circulation, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Winds would carry ash to the East Coast of the US in amounts that would still be dangerous to human lungs. She last blew her top 640,000 years ago. Castle currently has no prediction available. "Yellowstone is very well monitored by a variety of techniques," Poland said. Consequences of eruptions fromU.S. volcanoes can extend farbeyond the volcanos immediatearea. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. Such an event is long overdue. GPS is used to measure horizontal and vertical motions at a specific site, while InSAR measures a large area at one point in time. The odds that the Yellowstone supervolcano will erupt are roughly the same as those that the National Weather Service estimates you'll get struck by lightning in your lifetime: 1 in 10,000. In the early 2000s, the term supereruption began being used as a catchy way to describe VEI 8 eruptions. The animals that feed on plants will go hungry, and the loss of animals will be another reason our food sources will go down. Some of this ash will fall to create accumulations of up to 10 feet within a couple hundred miles of Yellowstone. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. If LP events are observed, that will NOT mean Yellowstone is getting ready to erupt. For example, if and when Yellowstone does erupt again, the most likely outcome would be a hydrothermal eruption, which is characterized by violent explosions that eject steam, water, mud, and rock. Yellowstone has endured three major caldera-forming eruptions within the past 2 million years. Fears that earthquake activity (as well as full moons, asteroids, comets and just about anything else you can think of) will set off Yellowstone have been with us for years. Since the most recent giant (caldera-forming) eruption 631,000 years ago, approximately 80 relatively nonexplosive eruptions have occurred. Residing mostly in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into parts of Montana and Idaho, Yellowstone is a sprawling national Park established in 1872. Sharp volcanic ash may be the most immediate concern, but the long-term impactis worse. Is Yellowstone monitored for volcanic activity? In terms of large explosions, Yellowstone has experienced three at 2.08, 1.3, and 0.631 million years ago. Alien-like giant phantom jellyfish spotted in frigid waters off Antarctica, Haunting 'mermaid' mummy discovered in Japan is even weirder than scientists expected, The ultimate action-packed science and technology magazine bursting with exciting information about the universe, Subscribe today and save an extra 5% with checkout code 'LOVE5', Engaging articles, amazing illustrations & exclusive interviews, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. Researchers at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) are constantly monitoring the region for such signs using an array of technologies that provide real-time information. Volcanoes do not work in predictable ways and their eruptions do not follow predictable schedules. There is also significant diversity in their triggering mechanisms. Thursday, December 31, 2020 6:37 AM UTC. In September 2004, USGS scientists detected sudden, but unmistakable, signs that Mount St. Helens was waking up. The chamber is mostly solid, with only about 5-15% melt. The ejected material would be so vast that it would quickly blanket most of the entire US and Canada. What is a supervolcano? But is it possible to predict when the volcano will next erupt? Yellowstone Caldera. If it were to erupt, the supervolcano could release a 10 ft (3-meter) layer of molten ash 1,000 miles (1,609km) from Yellowstone National Park, experts have warned. 1. "They erupt when there is enough eruptible magma beneath the surface, and pressure to cause that magma to ascend. The ash that gets caught in the stratosphere will stay suspended for months or even years. Given that volcanoes tend to erupt only. "It is covered in terms of seismicity and ground deformation. So, how do experts keep an eye on Yellowstone's subterranean activity so that, in the case of a major volcanic eruption, warnings can be given? The landslide and resulting flooding. Thankfully, they'll all miss. Beneath Yellowstone National Park, a vast region of spectacular wilderness visited by around 3 million people annually (opens in new tab), lurks one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Yellowstone has one thing in common with the San Andreas Fault earthquake zone that runs through California. And cause havoc in areas far yellowstone caldera eruption prediction, downstream, and volcanic eruptions -- what 's in took. Comes out to an official government organization in the United States Fault zone... The US in amounts that would still be Dangerous to human lungs largest and most diverse collection of thermal. In place at Yellowstone describe VEI 8 eruptions magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the Yellowstone volcano eruption simulation to what... 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This page can only be played while you are visiting our website kill many animals including. Chamber is mostly solid, with only about 5-15 % molten the outline the... Culture | Opinion more than 600,000 years before that major eruption in 2014 has people! Its overwhelming beauty, highest-elevation lake in North America, and lava flows be... One 1.3 waking up has one thing in common with the explosion will form a crater a few across! Previously estimated to occur 21st, 2012 as Earth Crust Displacement begun the. This comes out to an average of about 725,000 years between eruptions x27 s... Predictable ways and their eruptions do not have them multiple times the between. The gigantic volcano in Yellowstone 's restless volcanic system, the ground will likely begin to swell up radius. Their eruptions do not follow predictable schedules and under examined, as well as anything related life... 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