Huge chunk of Yellowstone National Park, the size of Chicago, is 'breathing' in and out due to magma trapped underneath the surface
- An area at the center of the Norris Geyser Basin was found to inflate and deflate
- Experts have determined a intrusion of magma under the surface is to blame
- Magma became trapped at the top and pushed the rocks up above it
- The magma has since receded, putting the pulsating on pause for now
An area the size of Chicago in Yellowstone National Park has been inflating and deflating by several inches over the past decade
The
Norris Geyser Basin, the oldest, hottest and most dynamic thermal area
in the park, was observed to rise 5.9 inches each year from 2013 to 2015
- an unusual event that left researchers baffled.
Now,
using satellite radar and GPS data, experts have determined the ground
deformation was caused by magma intrusions trapped below the basin's
surface.
As magma made its way to the
surface, the pressure pushed rocks above it up and created an erratic
pulsating effect, according to National Geographic.
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Well, no. The Yellowstone caldera is 40 miles wide. The last time it erupted it put a few feet of material over the entirety of North America.
ReplyDeleteI'd almost prefer a meteor impact. At least that's done and over in one go.
ReplyDeleteA Yellowstone eruption could last with YEARS of ash & dust emitted.
I saw that movie ("How It Ends", I think). Kind of meh!
ReplyDeleteI saw that movie ("How It Ends", I think). Kind of meh!
ReplyDeleteHow was it after St Helens? A year of ash? Having to put Industrial air cleaners on, or doubling simple ones to keep engines alive. The following couple years the farmers didn't buy as much fertilizer because it was good once you got it tilled in.
ReplyDelete