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Images related to Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
Photograph of north and eastern rim of the 9400-year-old Turbid Lake explosion crater showing the primary explosion ejecta rim with a secondary explosion ejecta rim inside the lake-occupied explosion crater. Many, if not most, larger explosion craters have multiple explosion histories and are long-lived hydrothermal systems.
Photograph of north and eastern rim of the 9400-year-old Turbid Lake explosion crater showing the primary explosion ejecta rim with a secondary explosion ejecta rim inside the lake-occupied explosion crater. Many, if not most, larger explosion craters have multiple explosion histories and are long-lived hydrothermal systems.
Beartooth Mountains looking west northwest from near Beartooth Pass, Wyoming. Photo by Jeff Havig, University of Minnesota, July 20, 2016.
Beartooth Mountains looking west northwest from near Beartooth Pass, Wyoming. Photo by Jeff Havig, University of Minnesota, July 20, 2016.
A Ptychopariid trilobite from Yellowstone National Park. Scale is in millimeters. Specimen located at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
A Ptychopariid trilobite from Yellowstone National Park. Scale is in millimeters. Specimen located at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
A Ehmania walcotti trilobite from Yellowstone National Park. Scale is in millimeters. Specimen located at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
A Ehmania walcotti trilobite from Yellowstone National Park. Scale is in millimeters. Specimen located at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Schematic cartoon of an idealized rhyolite lava flow with structures identified. Figure modified from Sweetkind et al. (2015) [https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155022].
Schematic cartoon of an idealized rhyolite lava flow with structures identified. Figure modified from Sweetkind et al. (2015) [https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155022].
Eruptions between 1064 and 1067 AD produced three lava flows that covered 8 km2 (3 mi2) and a field of scoria and spatter that covers 2300 km2 (890 mi2). Archeological evidence shows that there were communities of people living in the area who were impacted by the eruption.
Eruptions between 1064 and 1067 AD produced three lava flows that covered 8 km2 (3 mi2) and a field of scoria and spatter that covers 2300 km2 (890 mi2). Archeological evidence shows that there were communities of people living in the area who were impacted by the eruption.
Top: Thermographic mosaic of Yellowstone acquired by the NASA’s MODIS-ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER), a thermal infrared scanner, in September 2006. Dark shades indicate cool temperatures and bright are warm; this reflects not only hydrothermal activity, but also types of ground cover.
Top: Thermographic mosaic of Yellowstone acquired by the NASA’s MODIS-ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER), a thermal infrared scanner, in September 2006. Dark shades indicate cool temperatures and bright are warm; this reflects not only hydrothermal activity, but also types of ground cover.
Map of the Heart Mountain slide block. From Mitchell et al., 2015 ("Catastrophic emplacement of giant landslides aided by thermal decomposition: Heart Mountain, Wyoming." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 411: 199-207), modified from Anders et al. (2010).
Map of the Heart Mountain slide block. From Mitchell et al., 2015 ("Catastrophic emplacement of giant landslides aided by thermal decomposition: Heart Mountain, Wyoming." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 411: 199-207), modified from Anders et al. (2010).
(Left) Sample of the Pitchstone Plateau rhyolite flow, which erupted about 72,000 years ago, making it is the youngest rhyolite at Yellowstone. The blocky white crystals in this sample are the mineral sanidine, whereas the rounded crystals are quartz.
(Left) Sample of the Pitchstone Plateau rhyolite flow, which erupted about 72,000 years ago, making it is the youngest rhyolite at Yellowstone. The blocky white crystals in this sample are the mineral sanidine, whereas the rounded crystals are quartz.
Data from GPS station AB53 near the peak of a mountain on Mitkof Island, Alaska, including measured snow depth down at the base of the mountain. Notice how the North (top), east (second from the top), and vertical (third from the top) positions are impacted by the presence of snow. This is an extreme example of the influence of snow on GPS data.
Data from GPS station AB53 near the peak of a mountain on Mitkof Island, Alaska, including measured snow depth down at the base of the mountain. Notice how the North (top), east (second from the top), and vertical (third from the top) positions are impacted by the presence of snow. This is an extreme example of the influence of snow on GPS data.
Big Southern Butte, Idaho. The butte is among the largest rhyolite domes in the world and is located in the eastern Snake River Plain. Photo by James Neeley, BLM (https://flic.kr/p/CsA4TV).
Big Southern Butte, Idaho. The butte is among the largest rhyolite domes in the world and is located in the eastern Snake River Plain. Photo by James Neeley, BLM (https://flic.kr/p/CsA4TV).
Lidar coverage of the Hebgen and Red Canyon faults collected in 2014. Magenta lines show fault scarps mapped by USGS geologists shortly after the 1959 earthquake. Yellow lines show fault scarps interpreted from lidar data 55 years after the earthquake.
Lidar coverage of the Hebgen and Red Canyon faults collected in 2014. Magenta lines show fault scarps mapped by USGS geologists shortly after the 1959 earthquake. Yellow lines show fault scarps interpreted from lidar data 55 years after the earthquake.
Lava Mountain, Wyoming. (A) View from Dubois, WY, in the Wind River basin looking northwest ~30 km toward Lava Mountain.
Lava Mountain, Wyoming. (A) View from Dubois, WY, in the Wind River basin looking northwest ~30 km toward Lava Mountain.
Schematic cross section of the magmatic and hydrothermal systems underlying Yellowstone Caldera, showing magmatic volatiles emitted during crystallization of the rhyolitic magma and/or from basalt intrusions or convection, and the hypothesized relation with earthquake swarms on the caldera margins. The exsolved fluids accumulate at lithostatic pressures in the
Schematic cross section of the magmatic and hydrothermal systems underlying Yellowstone Caldera, showing magmatic volatiles emitted during crystallization of the rhyolitic magma and/or from basalt intrusions or convection, and the hypothesized relation with earthquake swarms on the caldera margins. The exsolved fluids accumulate at lithostatic pressures in the
Frosted trees in the Fairy Falls area of Yellowstone National Park near the Firehole River. National Park Service photo by Annie Carlson, 2014.
Frosted trees in the Fairy Falls area of Yellowstone National Park near the Firehole River. National Park Service photo by Annie Carlson, 2014.
Thermal infrared image of a portion of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, acquired from an airborne thermal survey in October 2014. Warm colors indicate higher temperatures, and cooler colors are lower temperatures.
Thermal infrared image of a portion of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, acquired from an airborne thermal survey in October 2014. Warm colors indicate higher temperatures, and cooler colors are lower temperatures.
The contact (red arrow) between Huckleberry Ridge Tuff ignimbrite members A and B is marked by a time break of probably weeks to a month or so.
The contact (red arrow) between Huckleberry Ridge Tuff ignimbrite members A and B is marked by a time break of probably weeks to a month or so.
Titanium tubed used to collect gas from a fumarole near Lassen Peak, California.
Titanium tubed used to collect gas from a fumarole near Lassen Peak, California.
A mud pot in the Obsidian Pool Thermal Area, near Mud Volcano. The large amounts of suspended sediment make the thermal water much more viscous than pure water. Photo by Shaul Hurwitz, September 2014.
A mud pot in the Obsidian Pool Thermal Area, near Mud Volcano. The large amounts of suspended sediment make the thermal water much more viscous than pure water. Photo by Shaul Hurwitz, September 2014.
Example model output of possible ash distribution from a month-long Yellowstone supereruption. Results vary depending on wind and eruption conditions. Historical winds for January 2001 used here.
Example model output of possible ash distribution from a month-long Yellowstone supereruption. Results vary depending on wind and eruption conditions. Historical winds for January 2001 used here.
Images of a) the southern Teton Mountains and b) the northern Teton Mountains as seen from the Bridger-Teton National Forest. USGS photos by Stanley Mordensky, August 2014.
Images of a) the southern Teton Mountains and b) the northern Teton Mountains as seen from the Bridger-Teton National Forest. USGS photos by Stanley Mordensky, August 2014.