Report: Ground Rising Yellowstone Park

News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu Nov 8, 2007 5:24 PM EST

Article Source: The New York Times

us-news, report, yellowstone-national-park, geophysics, swelling, university-of-utah, ground-rising, imminent-volcanic-eruption, molten-rock, site-of-giant-volcano, yellow-stone-park

Seeded by ShaunV

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Yellowstone National Park, once the site of a giant volcano, has begun swelling up, possibly because molten rock is accumulating beneath the surface, scientists report.

But, ''there is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption,'' said Robert B. Smith, a professor of geophysics at the University of Utah.

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{"commentId":1169564,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

'Our best evidence is that the crustal magma chamber is filling with molten rock,'' Smith said in a statement. ''But we have no idea how long this process goes on before there either is an eruption or the inflow of molten rock stops and the caldera deflates again.''

It's not unusual for ancient volcano sites like Yellowstone and Long Valley, Calif., to rise and fall, according to the researchers.

{"commentId":1169564,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

7 votes

#1 - Thu Nov 8, 2007 5:25 PM EST

{"commentId":1169688,"authorDomain":"inghar2004"}

gladbutterfly

Ever since I found out that Yellowstone Park is one huge volcano caldera that could explode catastrophically, I have looked with trepidation at such news.

{"commentId":1169688,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"inghar2004"}

4 votes

#2 - Thu Nov 8, 2007 6:09 PM EST

{"commentId":1171066,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

I feel the same way. GladB, and while visiting it, that knowledge did have me somewhat on edge.

{"commentId":1171066,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 8:45 AM EST

{"commentId":1169714,"authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

Chum Suet

First thing I thought of was that TV programme about the supervolcano under Yellowstone where it showed the effects of an eruption - a rise of 3 inches a year in the height of the rocks is well scary! It must take millions of pounds of pressure to have that effect.

{"commentId":1169714,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

9 votes

#3 - Thu Nov 8, 2007 6:21 PM EST

{"commentId":1171068,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

Yes, the pounds of pressure is amazing.

{"commentId":1171068,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

2 votes

#3.1 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 8:46 AM EST

{"commentId":1170674,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

Same thing is happening near Sisters in Central Oregon.

{"commentId":1170674,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

4 votes

#4 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 12:51 AM EST

{"commentId":1171070,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

Thanks for the information LuckyD.

I hope they don't decide to erupt simultaneously.

{"commentId":1171070,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

2 votes

#4.1 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 8:47 AM EST

{"commentId":1171137,"authorDomain":"shaman-in-a-yurt"}

Shaman.in.a.yurt

The volcano at Yellowstone produced massive eruptions 2 million, 1.3 million and 642,000 years ago, all larger than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Check out the time pattern, looks like we're close to another massive eruption.

{"commentId":1171137,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"shaman-in-a-yurt"}

3 votes

#5 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 9:12 AM EST

{"commentId":1171182,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

Yes, it does, seem close, Shaman.

I hope people heed warnings rather than sticking around, when warned that the eruption is imminent.

{"commentId":1171182,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

2 votes

#5.1 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 9:29 AM EST

{"commentId":1171197,"authorDomain":"shaman-in-a-yurt"}

Shaman.in.a.yurt

3" of Rise/Year seems pretty intense. I imagine a volcano of that size erupting would cause all sorts of problems, like a debris cloud blocking the sun for a while.

{"commentId":1171197,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"shaman-in-a-yurt"}

3 votes

#5.2 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 9:34 AM EST

{"commentId":1171204,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

Yes, such eruptions do have far reaching effects.

{"commentId":1171204,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

3 votes

#5.3 - Fri Nov 9, 2007 9:37 AM EST

{"commentId":1174424,"authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

Chum Suet

My understanding is that if it had a major eruption and the caldera collapsed then the majority of the USA and Canada would suffer major catastropic loss of life and the probability of an eruotion is getting greater and greater.

{"commentId":1174424,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

3 votes

#5.4 - Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:05 PM EST

{"commentId":1175115,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

Yeah but looking on the bright side...wait a minute, there is no bright side.

{"commentId":1175115,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

3 votes

#5.5 - Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:15 PM EST

{"commentId":1175848,"authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

Chum Suet

The only sure thing is that it will happen sometime - what we dont know is if it will be in our lifetime or not

{"commentId":1175848,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

2 votes

#6 - Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:44 AM EST

{"commentId":1176277,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

...what we dont know is if it will be in our lifetime or not

That's one of the frightening parts.

{"commentId":1176277,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

3 votes

#6.1 - Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:07 AM EST

{"commentId":1176666,"authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

Chum Suet

It's not something I intend to lose any sleep over - if it does blow there is so little we can do to avert the effects, especially here in Europe, but I agree it is the frightening part of the scenario

{"commentId":1176666,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"chumsuet"}

3 votes

#7 - Sun Nov 11, 2007 2:08 PM EST

{"commentId":1176772,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

humanity would survive, probably just a lot smaller in numbers. Maybe in Peru.

{"commentId":1176772,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

2 votes

#7.1 - Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:01 PM EST

{"commentId":1177420,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

Dr Know

Millions of pounds of pressure over any measurable area would result in catastrophic results.

The math a sheet of paper is 8.5 x 11 inches = 93.5 sq in. 1 million pounds per square inch would result in a force of 93.5 million pounds of force concentrated under the sheet of paper.

The problem is not the amount of pressure but the size of the area under pressure.

One acre is 6,272,640 square inches. A pressure of 1 pound per square inch results in a total force over 6 million pounds. An acre is the area of a square of 208 feet on a side.

A small pressure over a large area results in a large disruptive force. This is how a stiff wind can blow a sign over.

{"commentId":1177420,"threadId":"173390","contentId":"1083356","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

1 vote

#8 - Sun Nov 11, 2007 8:16 PM EST

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"173390","isPrivate":false}

Ground Said Rising at Yellowstone Park	Associated Press	Thu Nov 8	6
Remnant of Yellowstone volcano rising: study	Reuters	Sat Nov 10	1
Is Yellowstone Ready to Blow?	www.planetsave.com	Sat Nov 10	0

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Report: Ground Rising Yellowstone Park

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