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Title: Huge Volcano Under Yellowstone Park Rising; It's building quickly, but that doesn't mean doomsday eruption is imminent...
Source:
MSNBC
URL Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4149417 ... echnology_and_science-science/
Published: Feb 9, 2011
Author: Brett Israel
Post Date: 2011-02-09 20:27:18 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 3339
Comments: 4
The huge volcano under Yellowstone National Park has been rising at an unprecedented rate during the past several years, according to a new study. In the ancient past, the Yellowstone volcano produced some of the biggest-known continental eruptions, but the recent rising doesn't mean another doomsday eruption is looming, scientists say. The recent rising is unprecedented for Yellowstone's caldera — the cauldron-shaped part of the volcano — but it's not uncommon for other volcanoes around the world. The new study has simply revealed a more active caldera at Yellowstone than scientists realized. "It's pretty exciting when you see something that's five times larger than what you've seen in the past," said Charles Meertens, director of the nonprofit UNAVCO facility in Boulder, Colo., which aids geoscience research. Meertens is a former postdoctoral fellow under one of the study's authors, Robert Smith of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. In 2004, the caldera was swelling at 2.8 inches a year in some parts, but the uplift has since slowed to a low of 0.2 inches a year, according to the study, which was published in the December edition of the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Calderas rise just like an inflating bubble. The inflating could either be caused by magma rising and pushing up on the caldera, or the magma could be heating gases and hydrothermal fluids (the same fluids that spew from Yellowstone's Old Faithful geyser) and pushing them against the caldera, Meertens told OurAmazingPlanet. Whatever the exact mechanism, a rising caldera is not enough to signal an eruption. "It's not a portent of doom," said Erik Klemetti, a volcanologist at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, who was not involved with the study. "It seems like these restless calderas are always sort of rising and falling, but that by itself doesn't mean it's about to erupt." Volcanologists look at several indicators when deciding whether an eruption is looming, Klemetti said. Warning signs typically include an increase in earthquakes under the volcano, changes in the gases being emitted, change in the volcano's shape, and steam and heat escaping from the top.
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#1. To: Brian S (#0)
But you just thought you'd mention it.
Well, [war's] got to do something for attention, his multiple personalities aren't speaking to him any more, and his imaginary friends keep finding excuses not to come over.
You are just excited Ruddie because you now have hope the Earth is male and you have an idea where the planet's crotch is.
there was a bit of a panic earlier this year, but the scientists monitoring the volcano discovered that magma was still 10 km below the surface, when it gets to 2-3 km then it's time to move to South America (or when the GOP cuts spending for the national park service so Yellowstone is sold off to developers). Crystals from the last eruption have been found as far south as Alabama.
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
God hates Red states and torments them accordingly....
"Keep Your Goddamn Government Hands Off My Medicare!" - Various Tea Party signs.
doesn't mean doomsday eruption is imminent...
#2. To: Rudgear (#1)
#3. To: Brian S, Ferret Mike (#0)
#4. To: go65 (#3)
Crystals from the last eruption have been found as far south as Alabama.
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