Add news
News Every Day |

Scientists reveal why the mighty Yellowstone isnt ready to blow

There's not even a hint of a looming eruption at Yellowstone.

But you might wonder why, considering its violent past: Yellowstone has hosted "supereruptions" — the most explosive type of volcanic blast that would be regionally devastating, and blanket a large swathe of the U.S. in ash. These blasts were much larger than any in recorded history. (The last eruption, though not "super," happened some 70,000 years ago and poured lava over the present-day national park.)

New research reveals why the famously steamy park, hosting over 500 hot geysers, shows no signs of blowing its top. These days, the reservoirs of magma (molten rock) that feed Yellowstone hold pretty low concentrations of this magma. They simply don't contain enough volcanic fuel to drive the heat and pressure that would stoke an eruption.

"We can definitely say that these areas could not source an eruption in the present day," Ninfa Bennington, a U.S. Geological Survey research geophysicist who led the study recently published in Nature, told Mashable.

There are different reservoirs, or pods, of magma below the Yellowstone Caldera, which is the sprawling basin formed during an immense eruption and dramatic collapse some 631,000 years ago. You can think of each reservoir like a sponge, filled with pores. There's some magma in these pores spaces, but it's not nearly saturated.

One future day, these sponges may fill up with magma and reach a critical percentage — wherein immense pressure builds beneath the ground and spawns an eruption. Today, however, there is no explosive threat.

"We're so far off from that right now," Bennington said.

Modeled ashfall from a Yellowstone supereruption. Credit: USGS / Mastin et al.
The most destructive type of eruptions at Yellowstone, which form great depressions called calderas, are by far the rarest. Credit: USGS

To grasp what's transpiring in these critical reservoirs of magma today, the geologists used a technique called magnetotellurics. In contrast to radar or sonar, the scientists don't create or beam signals to discern what lies beyond or below. Instead, these surveys capitalize on the currents naturally created by Earth's electromagnetic field. And magma, due to its composition, is really good at conducting electricity, allowing insight into its presence deep beneath Earth's surface.

"It could be a long, long time."

The surveys, beyond revealing Yellowstone's inability to host an eruption today, showed that the most primitive magma flowing up from Earth's mantle to Yellowstone connects directly to a reservoir in the northeast region of the Yellowstone Caldera. This suggests this northeast region would become the future center of volcanic activity in Yellowstone.

But there's no evidence of those reservoirs filling up. "It could be a long, long time," Bennington said.

If magma does once again snake its way from deep inside Earth and saturate these shallower reservoirs, an eruption wouldn't be a surprise. We'd have many decades, if not centuries, of warning. The moving magma would trigger swarms of potent earthquakes, and the ground would majorly deform.

"These parameters are well monitored, so there will be ample warning of any potential future eruption," the U.S. Geological Survey says.

Today, Yellowstone remains a place of low volcanic risk. Sure, there are sometimes small explosions stoked by hot water and steam. But it's mostly thermal pools and awesome geysers, reminding us of what could potentially awake, one distant day.

Реклама
  • ИП Попов А.П.
  • ИНН: 602715631406
Ревматолог: "3 апреля 2024 в г.Колумбус запущена квота"

Каждый человек с больными суставами имеет право получить...

Read also

Laurence Fishburne Reveals He Offered to Be in ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ But ‘They Didn’t Respond Well’

LVCC Loop | Passenger Station Map, Updates & More Info

UEFA president slams FIFA’s 64 team world cup as ‘bad idea’

News, articles, comments, with a minute-by-minute update, now on Today24.pro

News Every Day

Will AI ever cure cancer? The multibillion-dollar race to bring the first AI-discovered drug to market

Today24.pro — latest news 24/7. You can add your news instantly now — here


News Every Day

The Ashton Jeanty Bears Smoke Just Got Even Thicker



Sports today


Новости тенниса
Владимир Сидоренко

Игрока в пинг-понг Сидоренко дисквалифицировали за оскорбление женщины-судьи



Спорт в России и мире
Москва

Железный человек, или Как спорт закаляет характер



All sports news today





Sports in Russia today

Москва

Железный человек, или Как спорт закаляет характер


Новости России

Game News

It's actually happening, everybody stay calm: Silksong properly confirmed for a 2025 release date at the Nintendo Direct with a whole 3 seconds of footage


Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this

Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this

Реклама
The most beautiful beach towns with cheap living

A huge number of people around the world dream of one day breaking out of the daily routine

Russian.city

Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this


Game News

Atomfall surpasses 1.5 million players to become Rebellion's most successful game launch in 32 years


Губернаторы России
90

Собянин рассказал о главных событиях праздничной программы к 90-летию метро


Рейтинг пяти лучших маркетинговых агентств: VICTORY GROUP занял первое место

Инжиниринговый центр в Москве: новый этап для российских производителей

MD Facility Management: в начале 2025 года до 80% затрат на обслуживание ТЦ приходилось на фонд оплаты труда

РОССИЯ И ДОНАЛЬД ТРАМП СПАСАЮТ США ОТ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО РАБСТВА?! СЕНСАЦИЯ! УЛУЧШИТЬ ПЕРЕГОВОРЫ! Новости. В.В. Путин. Россия, США, Европа могут улучшить отношения и здоровье общества?!


Рэпер ST выступит на «Мото Драйв» 2025. Фестивал пройдет на автодроме «Игора Драйв» 7 и 8 июня

Помощница Киркорова: после похорон отца певец перестал есть и сильно похудел

Тариф – Большой Концертный Тур по Москве!

Органный концерт «340 лет Баху и Генделю» в Москве: Владимир Скоморохов представит барочные шедевры


Кудерметова: Последние два года были очень трудными для меня

Медведев вылетел из топ-10 рейтинга ATP, Рублёв стал первой ракеткой России

WTA сменила флаг теннисистки Дарьи Касаткиной на австралийский

Петрова презентует книгу «Теннис. Методические рекомендации» 5 апреля в Москве


Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this


Московский Экономический Форум: главное

Инжиниринговый центр в Москве: новый этап для российских производителей

Когда слово объединяет: ГПМ Радио приглашает на «Тотальный диктант»

Конкурс «Построй свой мир с Турбозаврами» стартовал на телеканале «Мультиландия»


Никоненко заявил об отказе играть с Михаилом Ефремовым, выходящим по УДО

Яндекс Недвижимость: в Рязани снизилась средняя стоимость вторичного жилья

Врач Лапа: Ефремов мог заболеть ХОБЛ из-за курения

Рейтинг пяти лучших маркетинговых агентств: VICTORY GROUP занял первое место


В Москву могут протянуть ЛЭП от Нововоронежской атомной станции

Московский Экономический Форум: главное

Компания enKod на Global Tech Forum: как технологии меняют маркетинг

Дзюба: «Я бы подрался с Криштиану Роналду, но думаю, что он такой… поцарапает и всё»


Реклама
The most beautiful beach towns with cheap living

A huge number of people around the world dream of one day breaking out of the daily routine


Путин в России и мире
Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this



Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this



Реклама
The most beautiful beach towns with cheap living

A huge number of people around the world dream of one day breaking out of the daily routine



Реклама
Top 6 nutrition questions men should ask themselves after 40

To maintain health and remain full of energy, men will be helped by this

Персональные новости Russian.city
Филипп Киркоров

На надгробной табличке Бедроса Киркорова поправили дату смерти



News Every Day

Here’s more of what you’ll see through Meta’s $1,000 smart glasses




Friends of Today24

Музыкальные новости

Персональные новости