Earthquakes In Yellowstone

[Micheal Kyle]

I thought that everyone might find this interesting to read. 900 earth quakes in Yellowstone in just about a 2 week time period.

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Yellowstone Prompts More Concerns of Massive EruptionThe volcano is one of the biggest in the world By Tudor Vieru, Science Editor

13th of January 2009, 12:20 GMT

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Hundreds of minor tremors over the past few weeks, which were covered in the national US press, prompted, at the time, concerns of a massive eruption at the Yellowstone national park, although recently scientists announced that there was no reason to be worried about. But, as the phenomena continue, more and more people become tragically aware of the fact that the scenic beauties in the park sit atop one of the world's biggest and, potentially, deadliest volcanoes still to be active. And the geysers that the park is famous for are a living testimony of that fact.

With the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helen as a reference point, the volcano at Yellowstone is believed to have erupted about 1,000 times stronger in the very distant past, hurling its molten rocks and ash as far as the current state of Louisiana. That was the last time the Earth shook in the area, and geologists, who have been monitoring the situation near the volcano very carefully over the past decades, say that even the possibility of a minor lava spill is extremely remote.

"To those of us who have been following these events, we know that something is brewing, especially considering that Yellowstone is over 40,000 years overdue for a major eruption," reads a post on the Armageddon Online website, proving that there are those who believe that the situation may not be as safe as experts would have the population believe.

"Everyone [is] to leave Yellowstone National Park for 100 miles around the volcano caldera because of the danger in poisonous gases that can escape from the hundreds of recent earthquakes," reads a message on another, similar site, featuring a page entitled "Yellowstone Warning."

In a news release made available on Thursday, Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash, who is also working with the Geological Survey, said that Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, the group that monitors the activities recorded at one of the nation's most treasured parks, issued no order of evacuation, nor did it talk to anyone in the White House about that.

"I could come up with 100 different theories without any evidence for them and they would all be equally likely. Unless you have some reason to say that's what's going on, then you're not going to get a whole lot of people convinced by your speculation," says Jake Lowenstern, the researcher in charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, talking about the fact that many people will begin concocting apocalyptic scenarios about the future of the volcano under the park

Here is one more articleupdated 6:55 a.m. CT, Tues., Jan. 13, 2009

Recent earthquake activity in Yellowstone National Park has raised concern that the quakes are a sign that the supervolcano located there is ready to erupt; bringing catastrophic damage and triggering a severe change in weather.

BILLINGS - Recent earthquake activity in Yellowstone National Park has raised concern that the quakes are a sign that the supervolcano located there is ready to erupt; bringing catastrophic damage and triggering a severe change in weather.

It is a valid concern, as Yellowstone is centered over the largest supervolcano in North America. But park scientists say there are explosions of another kind to be concerned about that are more likely to occur in our lifetime.

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The ground has settled at Yellowstone Park after about 900 earthquakes occurred here between December 26 through the first week of the new year. An event referred to as an earthquake swarm.

"We've had larger swarms in the past, larger earthquakes, but the fact this is in Yellowstone Lake and it's releasing a lot of energy is very interesting to us," said Hank Heasler, park geologist.

The recent earthquake swarm caused no property damage to the nation's first park, but scientists said it could have altered some of the thousands of thermal features the park is famous for."

"We wanted to depict what was happening over time," said Cheryl Jaworowski, park geologist, pointing to a map she created hanging in her office. The map shows the northward movement the recent swarm was taking in Yellowstone Lake. Jaworowski used circles to represent the quakes, and on the map you can see how they came very close to disrupting a large thermal region.

"Might of we had a hydrothermal explosion, basically like a geyser eruption but involving a lot of dirt and rocks, could it have not caused any change," speculated Heasler. These are questions still being studied.

The recent earthquakes caused an eruption of volcanic dooms-day sayers to take to the internet. "We don't see any evidence of volcanic activity associated with this earthquake swarm."

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is a group of scientists, including Heasler, charged with keeping an eye on the situation. "Technology has improved greatly for the earthquake monitoring, satellite sensing of volcanic activity and we just do not see any of those indicators currently in Yellowstone," said Heasler.

The YVO streams live seismographs on its website. Heasler said this scientific data can be misinterpreted. For example, many people confused constant small pulses on a January seismograph as harmonic tremors, which are indicative of a pending volcanic eruption.

"So, part of the web excitement with all this is that people thought they were seeing harmonic tremors when actually it was just simply wind noise," said Heasler.

The earth may be settled beneath Yellowstone for now, but it is never quiet. "These features change daily, the thermal activity, the deposition of the rocks, Yellowstone is extremely dynamic," said Heasler. That is what keeps the doomsday sayers, and the millions of visitors coming back for more. "It's Mother Nature, what are you going to do," said Peter Janker, park visitor from New York.

Heasler said it would not be out of the ordinary for this swarm to pick back up again. The swarm in 1985 lasted for about three months. Scientists are still studying the cause of this latest swarm.

[BKB]

There was a Docu-Drama released last year, maybe on the Discovery channel that was very informative about the possibilities of a super eruption at Yellowstone....... very scary/end of the world possibilities that I never knew about! I highly recommend watching it...I believe its called SUPERVOLCANO.

[troutchaser]

This is why I have a 'Fraidy-Hole' in my house.

[Wayne SW/MO]

A few years back there was a show regarding the find of a herd of rhinos in Nebraska, they concluded that they were killed and buried by the Yellowstone Super volcano.

There is also a show that points to a shift in the level of Yellowstone lake. This is thought to be caused by the bulge from the increasing dome.

I think it might take more than a fraidy hole to survive a super eruption.

[jdmidwest]

This is why I have a 'Fraidy-Hole' in my house.

I think a Fraidy Hole would be the last place to be in a major earthquake. I would want to be above ground.

I started a thread on Earthquakes a few months ago. There was a swarm around Hot Springs this fall and one in Central Ill. this spring. Of course, we always have a swarm here in SE MO, several hundred a year on the New Madrid Fault.

Recent Earthquakes in Central US

[taxidermist]

Old Faithfull has been stopped now for about four weeks. In 2002 I went thru the wild west and have an awesome video I tookof Old Faithfull.

Temors ssw of Clinton AR last week one near here was a 2. noone felt it. they said somewhere between Cave Creek and Snowball.

[skeeter]

Heckuva program.... "Supervolcano"... well worth watching with scientific evidence showing the last eruption of the Enormous Yellowstone caldera deposited heavy volcanic ash all the way East of the Mississippi River and as far South as Louisiana.

Didn't know that Old Faithful had shut down, has there been any further information on what they think caused that ? Interruption of ground water supply maybe ?

The Geophysicists took measurements in Yellowstone Lake and the floor of the Lake has risen/bulged enough from a presumed upwelling of magma to submerge land on the South end of the Lake that has never been underwater before. Been through Yellowstone extensively on two, two week trips in the 70's. Hiked the back country and encountered many geothermal features that are not readily accessible to typical tourist visitation as they are far off the paved roads. All that energy underfoot causing those features makes a person think about just what lies not far below the earth's surface. Another eruption like those in the past would completely devastate the U.S. and certainly bears watching and further study.

[Snow Fly]

I just got off the Old Faithful web cam site and she is still sending steam skyward for a fairly large crowd at -11 degrees

[petpipuppy]

This is why I have a 'Fraidy-Hole' in my house.

For those interested in the rhino's in NE, here's a link to the website. It's an interesting visit.

http://www.ashfall.unl.edu/index.html