Yellowstone super volcano

[justginger]

It appears there is quite a buzz at the moment regarding the possibility that the super volcano that underlies Yellowstone might be amping up for an explosion. It has been over 600,000 years since the last eruption, and judging by the patterns prior to that one, it seems to be about 200,000 years overdue. New seismic activity + non-migratory movement of animals out of the park = concern.

What do you guys reckon? A serious possibility or not? Personally...if I lived in the western 2/3 of the States, it would give me serious pause. A full pantry is never a bad thing!

 

[AGBF]

I didn't read about this, but had wondered if there might be a connection between the enormous (8.8 on the Richter scale?) earthquake in Chile and the many small earthquakes in the Los Angeles area recently discussed on Hangout. I cannot remember much about my geology, however, and do not recall if the Los Angeles faults have any connection to the Pacific Rim ring, which does include the area where the Chilean earthquake just occurred.

I will try to look this up, but would love some input from scientists and people with knowledge of these phenomena. Once upon a time I used to be able to follow a discussion about the topic intelligently, even if I couldn't lead one!

Deb/AGBF

 

[VRBeauty]

And others are suggesting that the volcano is dying:

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/yellowston...k-raises-fears-supervolcano-set-erupt-1443178

Not knowing who to believe, I'd just ignore all the speculation and visit Yellowstone if at all possible! It's one of the most spectacular parks in the U.S. national park system, which is saying something. It has it all - abundant wildlife, stunning vistas, and incredible geothermal features. The only thing it's really missing is abundant solitude, because it's so popular, but there hiking opportunities that will allow you to get away from it all for at least awhile. (Last time I was there I got up early one morning and hiked up a hill near the we were staying in. I came across a herd of pronghorn, and was able to follow them, within maybe 150 feet, until they got near the park border!) PSA to anyone living in the west who hasn't yet experienced Yellowstone - make a point of working it into your vacation plans!

Thread-jack over.

 

[justginger]

And others are suggesting that the volcano is dying:

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/yellowston...k-raises-fears-supervolcano-set-erupt-1443178

Not knowing who to believe, I'd just ignore all the speculation and visit Yellowstone if at all possible! It's one of the most spectacular parks in the U.S. national park system, which is saying something. It has it all - abundant wildlife, stunning vistas, and incredible geothermal features. The only thing it's really missing is abundant solitude, because it's so popular, but there hiking opportunities that will allow you to get away from it all for at least awhile. (Last time I was there I got up early one morning and hiked up a hill near the we were staying in. I came across a herd of pronghorn, and was able to follow them, within maybe 150 feet, until they got near the park border!) PSA to anyone living in the west who hasn't yet experienced Yellowstone - make a point of working it into your vacation plans!

Thread-jack over.

Preaching to the choir here - I love Yellowstone! My parents and I went on big family driving holidays every summer, and it was like Wyoming/Montana were our default destinations if nothing else caught our attention. I think I've been around 5 times? It's so, so, so beautiful. I would very much mourn the loss of that park, amongst other things, if it were to go up in a lava column.

 

[Karl_K]

I could write a book length post I'm a volcano nut :}

It could erupt today, it could erupt in 10k years, it could erupt never.
No one can say for sure.

To keep it simple:
What can be said is the entire area is unstable and there are always tremors running through the area.
Some bigger than others.
A rock slide is a more logical explanation for stampeded of animals from the high areas.
They are extremely common with all the tremors in the area.

Yes Yellowstone is connected to the ring of fire.
There are a lot of volcanoes in the ring of fire that will never erupt again because the magma vent is closed deep under ground and or the volcano has moved from on top of it.

Yellowstone still appears likely to have an active vent under it but it is really impossible to say for sure with current technology.
I could be that the magma pool is cut off from the vent but just hasn't cooled off yet in which case it will never erupt again.

 

[Karl_K]

I didn't read about this, but had wondered if there might be a connection between the enormous (8.8 on the Richter scale?) earthquake in Chile and the many small earthquakes in the Los Angeles area recently discussed on Hangout. I cannot remember much about my geology, however, and do not recall if the Los Angeles faults have any connection to the Pacific Rim ring, which does include the area where the Chilean earthquake just occurred.

I will try to look this up, but would love some input from scientists and people with knowledge of these phenomena. Once upon a time I used to be able to follow a discussion about the topic intelligently, even if I couldn't lead one!

Deb/AGBF

yes they are connected in the sense that they are all caused by the pacific plate but they may not be tied directly together by the plate,
ie: the inward pressure cases smaller faults that are not as deep nor as big as the major faults that do not connect to them.
If you look at them on a map they often look like major fault, then a much of smaller faults like this.
],{,,,{,{,,,,,,{ where ] is a major fault and { a minor fault ignore the ,,, they are just spacers,
The minor faults can be many miles away.

 

[AGBF]

I didn't read about this, but had wondered if there might be a connection between the enormous (8.8 on the Richter scale?) earthquake in Chile and the many small earthquakes in the Los Angeles area recently discussed on Hangout. I cannot remember much about my geology, however, and do not recall if the Los Angeles faults have any connection to the Pacific Rim ring, which does include the area where the Chilean earthquake just occurred.

I will try to look this up, but would love some input from scientists and people with knowledge of these phenomena. Once upon a time I used to be able to follow a discussion about the topic intelligently, even if I couldn't lead one!

yes they are connected in the sense that they are all caused by the pacific plate but they may not be tied directly together by the plate,
ie: the inward pressure cases smaller faults that are not as deep nor as big as the major faults that do not connect to them.
If you look at them on a map they often look like major fault, then a much of smaller faults like this.
],{,,,{,{,,,,,,{ where ] is a major fault and { a minor fault ignore the ,,, they are just spacers,
The minor faults can be many miles away.

Thanks, Karl. I should have thought of you when I thought about people who loved phenomena like earthquakes given your understanding of storms and your original name of "strmrdr"! I didn't connect volcanoes and earthquakes with storms, however, and never considered that you might know about geology as well as meteorology! (Of course you also know about gemology and mental illness and many other fields as well, so nothing should surprise me when it comes to your fields of expertise.)

I have done a bit of reading on the 'net. What I have seen so far appears to be "saying" that although the Los Angeles area is part of the Ring of Fire that the quakes there recently do not indicate anything significant. I am not sure if that is because the faults involved are not the same faults (which they are not), or just that the LA quakes are not considered significant. I was interested to be reminded that Japan, site of the huge tsunami, was part of the Ring of Fire.

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

I was looking for a clear map of the Ring of Fire and the best one I found was this one. This was from a sort of odd website, however. The website from which I took it purported to have mapped, in 2011, all the earthquakes of over 4.0 on the Richter scale that had occurred on that day, even ones not listed by the US Geological Survey.

Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Here is a more main stream map.

 

[Karl_K]

I have done a bit of reading on the 'net. What I have seen so far appears to be "saying" that although the Los Angeles area is part of the Ring of Fire that the quakes there recently do not indicate anything significant. I am not sure if that is because the faults involved are not the same faults (which they are not), or just that the LA quakes are not considered significant. I was interested to be reminded that Japan, site of the huge tsunami, was part of the Ring of Fire.

Deb/AGBF

I study pretty much anything that catches my interest until I get bored then I move on, I just like to know how things work.
Keep in mind that the facts are not all in on earthquakes and volcanos, we actually know very very little.
When they say that they are not significant that is an opinion and may not be fact.
No one knows for sure.

 

[JewelFreak]

Plate tectonics & vulcanology are fascinating. I like them so much that I'm doing a college course in geology on DVD. Though no one can predict with precision, vulcanologists say the possibility of an eruption of the Yellowstone volcano at any point within anything like present lifetimes is vastly remote. When that puppy gets ready to blow, there will be more than rumbles, more than 6 pt quakes. It won't be an upcoming event anyone can miss.

Idiot reporters made a big deal of a video of bison running in Yellowstone -- saying they were fleeing the big pending eruption. Today I saw an interview with the guy who took the video -- a park ranger -- the buffalo are running INTO Yellowstone & they do it every single spring. They go to lower areas when it's cold to find food, then just get spring fever. The lead female decides to have a run; everyone else follows her. The ranger says they do it for the joy of being able to do it. So don't believe what you read before you panic.

--- Laurie

 

[Karl_K]

Plate tectonics & vulcanology are fascinating. I like them so much that I'm doing a college course in geology on DVD. Though no one can predict with precision, vulcanologists say the possibility of an eruption of the Yellowstone volcano at any point within anything like present lifetimes is vastly remote. When that puppy gets ready to blow, there will be more than rumbles, more than 6 pt quakes. It won't be an upcoming event anyone can miss.

What is the name of it? I am interested.

Idiot reporters made a big deal of a video of bison running in Yellowstone -- saying they were fleeing the big pending eruption. Today I saw an interview with the guy who took the video -- a park ranger -- the buffalo are running INTO Yellowstone & they do it every single spring. They go to lower areas when it's cold to find food, then just get spring fever. The lead female decides to have a run; everyone else follows her. The ranger says they do it for the joy of being able to do it. So don't believe what you read before you panic.

--- Laurie

Rofl that is funny!!!!

 

[beaujolais]

Not Laurie, but here's one course for you, JF.

http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/course_detail.aspx?cid=1700

Do not buy it at this price, though (unless you like spending lots of money when you could pay lots less). Sign up to get on their mailing list. They will send you brochures and all the courses go on sale, at least once a year for lots less.

It's returnable if you don't like it.

I did this one. I found it heavy going, at times, but packed full of information.

 

[lambskin]

AGBF, where did you find that map from globequakes? I think that map is terrific and would love to see more of their maps. I tried googling it and all that came up for the first few pages is some book called Globequake that had nothing to do with earthquakes and the ring of fire. Any reference would be most appreciated. Thank you.