Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

The Blackfoot Volcanic Field in southeast Idaho is a unique product of Yellowstone hotspot volcanism. While it is chemically similar to other volcanic rocks in eastern Idaho that are related to the hotspot, it is located far from the hot spot track—a testament to its entanglement with tectonic activity of the Basin and Range Province.

We know from decades of observation that Yellowstone’s geyser basins are always changing, but what about thermal activity beneath the waters of Yellowstone Lake?  A team from the University of Minnesota deployed sensors on the lake floor and found that the environment is no less dynamic.

Earthquake magnitudes may seem straightforward, but a lot goes into their calculation, and multiple methods can be used.  These methods must account for many complications, like the impacts of local geology on the amplitude of shaking.  In Yellowstone, a modern seismic network and experienced analysts make it possible to determine the magnitudes of even the smallest earthquakes!

Of the three enormous explosive eruptions from Yellowstone in the past 2.1 million years, the earliest and largest was the one that gave rise to the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff. The generalized perception of these colossal eruptions is that they are short-lived events lasting hours or days, but recent field observations indicate a more complicated story.

If you’ve been to Yellowstone, you’ve no doubt smelled some of the gases that come from depth and escape to the surface.  In addition to their noses, geochemists use sophisticated tools to sample these gases, and they use the result to better understand how Yellowstone works!

A swimming pool?  At Old Faithful?  Sounds crazy, but for nearly 40 years in the first half of the 20^th century there was a geyser-heated bathhouse right next to the most iconic geyser in the world!

Yellowstone has a lot to offer visitors, from its world-famous hydrothermal features to its vast array of wildlife and breath-taking scenery. Yellowstone has also provided humans with another important resource for the last 11,000 years or more—obsidian.

Old Faithful Geyser got its unique name in the 19^th century because its eruptions were so regular and predictable. But during parts of the 13^th and 14^th centuries, the geyser did not erupt at all.

Fall is a time for maintaining monitoring sites in Yellowstone, since they will not be accessible during the winter months.  That includes the continuous GPS stations that track deformation across Yellowstone National Park!

Some of the most valuable data used to understand the evolution of the Yellowstone volcano come from the microscopic world. What are some of the tools that researchers use to study the microscopic products of the volcano’s multiple eruptions?

Thanks to technology like GPS (Global Positioning System), scientists know that the ground at Yellowstone moves up and down at a rate of a few centimeters—about an inch—per year. But what was happening to the caldera before scientists had the ability to make these measurements?  Yellowstone Lake holds the key, with a record of deformation that extends back thousands of years!