Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Images related to Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
Criteria for estimation of the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI). Modified from: Newhall, C.G., and Self, S., 1982, The volcanic explosivity index (VEI): An estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism. Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 87, no. C2, p.
Criteria for estimation of the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI). Modified from: Newhall, C.G., and Self, S., 1982, The volcanic explosivity index (VEI): An estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism. Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 87, no. C2, p.
MODIS satellite image of New Zealand’s North Island acquired on October 23, 2002 (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/3101/new-zealand). Lake Taupō is located in the center of North Island.
MODIS satellite image of New Zealand’s North Island acquired on October 23, 2002 (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/3101/new-zealand). Lake Taupō is located in the center of North Island.
Benchmark T366, was installed in 1987 a few miles north of Canyon Junction in Yellowstone National Park. Rather than being a brass or aluminum disk, the benchmark is a rod that was driven into the ground until it would not sink any lower. The precise elevation of the top of the rod was established by surveying methods, and an access cover flush with the g
Benchmark T366, was installed in 1987 a few miles north of Canyon Junction in Yellowstone National Park. Rather than being a brass or aluminum disk, the benchmark is a rod that was driven into the ground until it would not sink any lower. The precise elevation of the top of the rod was established by surveying methods, and an access cover flush with the g
Interpretive reconstruction of the Yellowstone Plateau region before initial plateau volcanism (a little before 2 million years ago). The region was entirely an elevated and faulted mountainous terrain with no basin in the present plateau area.
Interpretive reconstruction of the Yellowstone Plateau region before initial plateau volcanism (a little before 2 million years ago). The region was entirely an elevated and faulted mountainous terrain with no basin in the present plateau area.
Geological Map of the area around Monument Geyser Basin and Beryl Spring, taken from the Geological Map of the Yellowstone Plateau Area (Christiansen, 2001)
Geological Map of the area around Monument Geyser Basin and Beryl Spring, taken from the Geological Map of the Yellowstone Plateau Area (Christiansen, 2001)
Left: Map of Yellowstone showing the extent of mapped Lava Creek Tuff members A and B, which erupted during the formation of Yellowstone Caldera about 631,000 years ago. Right: Geologic map of Madison Junction (1:125,000).
Left: Map of Yellowstone showing the extent of mapped Lava Creek Tuff members A and B, which erupted during the formation of Yellowstone Caldera about 631,000 years ago. Right: Geologic map of Madison Junction (1:125,000).
Map of the northwestern U.S., showing the approximate locations of Yellowstone hotspot volcanic fields (orange) and Columbia River Basalts (gray). Boundary of Yellowstone National Park is shown in yellow. Modified from Barry et al. (GSA Special Paper 497, p.
Map of the northwestern U.S., showing the approximate locations of Yellowstone hotspot volcanic fields (orange) and Columbia River Basalts (gray). Boundary of Yellowstone National Park is shown in yellow. Modified from Barry et al. (GSA Special Paper 497, p.
Geologic map of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic field generated by Bob Christiansen and published in 2001. Available from https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp729g/plate1.pdf.
Geologic map of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic field generated by Bob Christiansen and published in 2001. Available from https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp729g/plate1.pdf.
Landsat-7 satellite image of Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera, New Mexico. The Valles and Toledo Caldera margins are approximated by dashed yellow lines, and the resurgent dome and lava domes are labeled. The Banco Bonito lava flow is the youngest in the region at 68,000 years old. The town of Los Alamos is located just east of the caldera.
Landsat-7 satellite image of Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera, New Mexico. The Valles and Toledo Caldera margins are approximated by dashed yellow lines, and the resurgent dome and lava domes are labeled. The Banco Bonito lava flow is the youngest in the region at 68,000 years old. The town of Los Alamos is located just east of the caldera.
Schematic illustration showing the 1912 Novarupta eruption in Alaska and the caldera collapse at Mount Katmai, 10.6 km (about 6.6 miles) to the northeast.
Schematic illustration showing the 1912 Novarupta eruption in Alaska and the caldera collapse at Mount Katmai, 10.6 km (about 6.6 miles) to the northeast.
Mount Epomeo on the island of Ischia. The visible western slope of the resurgent block consists of 55,000 year old rocks that formed one of the most widespread Late Quaternary pyroclastic deposits in the Mediterranean region. INGV photo (https://www.ingv.it/en/Ischia).
Mount Epomeo on the island of Ischia. The visible western slope of the resurgent block consists of 55,000 year old rocks that formed one of the most widespread Late Quaternary pyroclastic deposits in the Mediterranean region. INGV photo (https://www.ingv.it/en/Ischia).
View from the SE rim of McDermitt caldera, Nevada and Oregon, showing rhyolite lavas overlain by thin outflow McDermitt Tuff in the south wall of the caldera. The low area that makes up most of the photo is intracaldera tuffaceous sediment. This is Thacker Pass, the site of largest and highest-grade lithium deposits in the region.
View from the SE rim of McDermitt caldera, Nevada and Oregon, showing rhyolite lavas overlain by thin outflow McDermitt Tuff in the south wall of the caldera. The low area that makes up most of the photo is intracaldera tuffaceous sediment. This is Thacker Pass, the site of largest and highest-grade lithium deposits in the region.
Folds in outflow sheets of McDermitt Tuff, from the eruption that formed McDermitt Caldera in Nevada and Oregon about 16.4 million years ago. The folding is called “rheomorphism” and occurred as the hot ash deposit flowed under its own weight shortly after it was deposited over preexisting topographic highs and lows. The texture resembles that of rhyolit
Folds in outflow sheets of McDermitt Tuff, from the eruption that formed McDermitt Caldera in Nevada and Oregon about 16.4 million years ago. The folding is called “rheomorphism” and occurred as the hot ash deposit flowed under its own weight shortly after it was deposited over preexisting topographic highs and lows. The texture resembles that of rhyolit
The history of Earth’s glacial and interglacial periods for the last 700 thousand years is reflected in the variation of oxygen isotope composition of marine sediments. The different glacial-interglacial cycles are called marine isotope stages and are numbered from young to old. The vertical red lines mark dated volcanic eruptions in Yellowstone.
The history of Earth’s glacial and interglacial periods for the last 700 thousand years is reflected in the variation of oxygen isotope composition of marine sediments. The different glacial-interglacial cycles are called marine isotope stages and are numbered from young to old. The vertical red lines mark dated volcanic eruptions in Yellowstone.
Excerpt from the Geological Map of the Gardiner 30’ x 60’ Quadrangle, South-Central Montana, by Berg and others (1999), focused on Devil’s Slide (colorful blue-green stripes at center of map excerpt). Full unit description and map available online as Montana Bureau of Miles and Geology Open File No.
Excerpt from the Geological Map of the Gardiner 30’ x 60’ Quadrangle, South-Central Montana, by Berg and others (1999), focused on Devil’s Slide (colorful blue-green stripes at center of map excerpt). Full unit description and map available online as Montana Bureau of Miles and Geology Open File No.
Steam rises above a hot pool at Agua Shuca, one of many thermal areas of the Ahuachapán geothermal field of El Salvador. A sudden hydrothermal explosion at Agua Shuca in October 1990 ejected steam and debris within a 200-m-radius, and about 25 people living adjacent to the thermal area were killed.
Steam rises above a hot pool at Agua Shuca, one of many thermal areas of the Ahuachapán geothermal field of El Salvador. A sudden hydrothermal explosion at Agua Shuca in October 1990 ejected steam and debris within a 200-m-radius, and about 25 people living adjacent to the thermal area were killed.
Yellowstone National Park employees Rick Hutchinson (right) and Jim Peaco (left) guide the specially designed Little Dipper boat into the boiling waters of Grand Prismatic Spring to collect measurements of the temperature and structure of the feature. National Park Service photo by Josh Robbins in 1996.
Yellowstone National Park employees Rick Hutchinson (right) and Jim Peaco (left) guide the specially designed Little Dipper boat into the boiling waters of Grand Prismatic Spring to collect measurements of the temperature and structure of the feature. National Park Service photo by Josh Robbins in 1996.
An electron-microscope image of a microbe (Bacillus infernus) found 2,700 meters (8,860 feet) underground in Virginia. From Boone et al., 1995 (https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-45-3-441).
An electron-microscope image of a microbe (Bacillus infernus) found 2,700 meters (8,860 feet) underground in Virginia. From Boone et al., 1995 (https://doi.org/10.1099/00207713-45-3-441).
Queen's Laundry bathhouse, in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Building began under superintendent Philetus Norris in 1881 but was never finished.
Queen's Laundry bathhouse, in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Building began under superintendent Philetus Norris in 1881 but was never finished.
Cross section of the Western Snake River Plain, Idaho.
Cross section of the Western Snake River Plain, Idaho.
A gas plume rises above lava fountains in a lava lake in the summit crater of Nyiragongo volcano on 20 August 1994. USGS photo by Jack Lockwood.
A gas plume rises above lava fountains in a lava lake in the summit crater of Nyiragongo volcano on 20 August 1994. USGS photo by Jack Lockwood.