How geology and climate control vegetation composition and distribution in the Yellowstone Geoecosystem
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Cathy Whitlock, Regents Professor with the Department of Earth Science and the Paleoecology Lab at Montana State University. In Yellowstone, geology and ecology go hand in hand. In fact, the geology of Yellowstone can be mapped by its vegetation! For example, the glacial clays in the Lamar and Hayden valleys are rich in nutrients, like calcium and magnesium, and have high water-holding capacity; these qualities favor growth of grassland and sagebrush steppe. These landscapes are called the “Serengeti
Yellowstone National Park: Where geology is on display nearly everywhere!
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Richard Tollo, emeritus Professor of Geology at George Washington University. Yellowstone caldera viewed from Mount Washburn. The caldera is the low-lying area extending from the foothills of Mount Washburn in the foreground to the rugged mountains on the horizon. The incised valley of the Yellowstone River stretches from left to right in the middle distance. Steep valley walls are illuminated by sunlight in the center. Mount Washburn is a remnant andesitic volcano of the Eocene Absaroka Range. The hike
The science of the “X-ray vision” that reveals the magma beneath Yellowstone
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Scott K. Johnson, Science Communication Associate at EarthScope Consortium. Jeopardy is unique for its question-to-the-answer format, with contestants using a clue like “this animal starred in a 1975 Steven Spielberger film and can constantly regrow lost teeth” to correctly respond “what is a shark?” The geophysical techniques that allow us to image the magma beneath Yellowstone―as in a recent study that provided a view of multiple separate magma reservoirs― work similarly. These studies are often of great public
The lasting contributions of Yellowstone National Park naturalist George Marler
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Shaul Hurwitz, research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. George D. Marler (1898–1978) was a Yellowstone National Park ranger naturalist for more than four decades starting in 1931. He made long-lasting contributions to the understanding of hydrothermal activity in Yellowstone and published many of his detailed observations and interpretations in a series of seminal peer-reviewed journal papers. His publications mainly described and explained how hot springs in the geyser basins respond to earthquakes and climate. George Marler taking the
New study reveals insights into Yellowstone Volcanic System’s Hidden Magma Reservoirs
HILO, Hawaii — Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon State University examined the area beneath Yellowstone Volcanic system finding that although an eruption is unlikely anywhere in the area, changes to the northeast area of the volcanic system will be the key to understanding future eruptions. Scientists at USGS mapped underground areas containing magma in this volcanic system. Understanding where magma is located is essential for predicting volcanic activity and keeping the public informed about potential risks. This study gave a clear picture of how magma is distributed through the crust at Yellowstone using a method that is most sensitive
An Electromagnetic View of How Magma is Stored beneath Yellowstone
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Ninfa Bennington, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Yellowstone caldera is one of the largest volcanic systems in the world. Past volcanic activity at the caldera has ranged from the output of lava flows to the explosion of large volumes of ash, and the last eruption in the region—a lava flow—was over 70,000 years ago. In a recent study, USGS investigators with collaborators at Oregon State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison used
Looking back on geological activity in Yellowstone during 2024
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Aerial view of Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park, showing debris deposited by the July 23, 2024, hydrothermal explosion from Black Diamond Pool. Major features are labeled. The main debris field (within dashed yellow line) has a gray appearance. Photo taken by Joe Bueter, Yellowstone National Park, on July 23, 2024. In Yellowstone, 2024 will probably be remembered as the year of the hydrothermal
What did Yellowstone look like before it became Wonderland?
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. The Yellowstone region today is Wonderland. It is full of spectacular geysers and colorful hot springs, home to lakes and meadows and mountains and valleys, and covered by both forests and grasslands. What we see today is a result of volcanic activity that has shaped the landscape over the past 2 million years. But what did Yellowstone look like before volcanic activity blew
Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park’s Thermal Basins
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Stanley Mordensky, geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. View of the vibrant, multicolored extremophilic bacteria in the outflow from Grand Prismatic Spring at the Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Elizabeth Mordensky, May 12, 2024. When considering life in Yellowstone’s thermal basins, extremophiles—organisms that thrive in, if not require, extreme temperature or acidic conditions—come immediately to mind. Some of these extremophiles vibrantly display colorful bacterial mats characteristic of some thermal features (like the extremophilic bacteria of
Cosmic clocks help to keep time in Yellowstone
Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Mark Stelten, research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and deputy Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. When thinking about a place like Yellowstone, with its astounding geologic features and unique wildlife, one cannot help but wonder how the landscape came to be and what is in store for the future. For example, when did Yellowstone caldera form? When was the most recent volcanic eruption? When was the last time Yellowstone was covered by glaciers? To answer these