How far will Yellowstone reach if it erupts?
The devastation would not be restricted to the local environment. Yellowstone’s plume of ash, lava, and volcanic gases would reach a height of fifteen miles or more, and from this lofty position, be blown across North America.
Will the big one affect Yellowstone?
Fears loom that a strong earthquake like the Big One could trigger the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. This event can bury large portions of land in harmful volcanic ash killing plants and animals, even endangering human lives. Scientists, however, say these fears are unfounded.
Could a Yellowstone eruption happen?
More good news: the USGS monitors Yellowstone closely for any signs of an impending eruption. Their precaution could alert us to such an event years in advance, which would at least grant us time to prepare.
What is the most explosive event at Yellowstone?
The most likely explosive event to occur at Yellowstone is actually a hydrothermal explosion—a rock-hurling geyser eruption—or a lava flow. Hydrothermal explosions are very small; they occur in Yellowstone National Park every few years and form a crater a few meters across.
Does Yellowstone have long-period earthquakes?
Almost all earthquakes at Yellowstone are brittle-failure events caused when rocks break due to crustal stresses. Though we’ve been looking at Yellowstone for years, no one has yet identified “long-period (LP) events” commonly attributed to magma movement.
Does Yellowstone have any active volcanoes?
Yellowstone, one of the world’s largest active volcanic systems, has produced several giant volcanic eruptions in the past few million years, as well as many smaller eruptions and steam explosions. Although no eruptions of lava or volcanic ash have occurred for many thousands of years, future eruptions are likely. In the next few hundred years,…