Yellowstone might go on first stage alert soon.

USGS ^ | 2/10/2010 | Myself

[Steve Van Doorn]

Since January 17, 2010 Yellowstone has had the second largest swarm ever recorded. The swarms have been steady at about 10 miles in depth and they have subsided a few days ago.

In the past two days the depth has raised up to around 7 miles and in the past couple hours quakes vastly increased.

http://www.quake.utah.edu/helicorder/ymr_webi.htm
http://www.seis.utah.edu/req2webdir/recenteqs/Maps/111-44.html

Remember this doesn’t mean we will see an eruption and it most likely means a normal volcano. It is very unlikely we will see a caldera eruption.
But these changes are significant and cannot be over looked

Some history:
Since the most recent giant caldera-forming eruption, 640,000 years ago, approximately 80 relatively nonexplosive eruptions have occurred. Of these eruptions, at least 27 were rhyolite lava flows in the caldera, 13 were rhyolite lava flows outside the caldera and 40 were basalt vents outside the caldera. Some of the eruptions were approximately the size of the devastating 1991 Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines, and several were much larger. The most recent volcanic eruption at Yellowstone, a lava flow on the Pitchstone Plateau, occurred 70,000 years ago.

[Steve Van Doorn]

I am not going to speculate. It is Nature ask her.
I am sorry.

[JerseyDvl]

Thanks for the reply FRiend. I have seen way too many movies and had to ask so that I could separate fact from fiction.
Would one of these Caldera events affect the entire United States?

[jedi150]

Thar she blows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool except for the millions that will die if it does. Wonder how much aid the US would get from the World, (cough, cough)when it does go off. More than likely cheers from most of the world like what happened on 9/11. Do know that in Indonesia they were cheering as the WT centers collapsed. I expect it would be the same with anything that hits America.

[metmom]

Survival ping.....

[Cementjungle]

I am not going to speculate. It is Nature ask her.

well, it's interesting none the less.

[WoofDog123]

may be in the context of we being long dead when it erupts in relatively soon geological terms.

[fatima]

This says Madison River but not sure how to read it.

http://www.quake.utah.edu/helicorder/ymr_webi.htm

[jpsb]

The shallow ones are steam, happen all the time, if the magma gets to .5km it’s all over.

[jpsb]

If Yellowstone blows everyone Freepering days are over.

[mollynme]

So, what is the Worst Case Scenario??? How much of the US would be affected?

Back when the Discovery Channel did a story about it, I believe they said everything within 500 or 600 miles of the eruption would be in danger. I think it's time to move in with my brother in Norway!

[Skepolitic]

Only two things are certain if Yellowstone blows:

1) Obama will blame Bush.
2) Hollywood dimwits will blame global warming.

[winoneforthegipper]

Indeed, globally.
Last month, when this first started, I read qualified information of the yellowstone caldera, seems the hotspot that generated Yellowstone's last intense blast has actually drifted away from the caldera. That would argue that a catastrophic explosion is less likely.

[SatinDoll]

Yep. Be sure you all have food stored.

[winoneforthegipper]

This series by the BBC will provide you all with a quick and excellent information upgrade on Volcanic tremors and their associated meanings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHha9I73U44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceAwZpz_AvY&feature=related

This is my favourite for determining different recordings on webicorders and siesmographs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej9jdJ-913Y&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=C455114941F2C645

There are other videos in the series if you wish to continue viewing.

[dragnet2]

We were going to move to Idaho years ago...We're so glad we didn't.

We've heard all the people in that entire region will choke to death on ash if Yellowstone ever goes off.

[machogirl]

so this might be a “burp”?

[Frantzie]

Thanks. Weird. I guess they become extinct because so much rock seals them up or the plates more.

[Steve Van Doorn]

You asked for worst case here it is:
Just a reminder it is very unlikely the Caldera will go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theory

[chris_bdba]

I hope it is only small because the other scenerio is too scary to think about.

[ETL]

Map of the Yellowstone Hot Spot Trail. Reveals the movement of the North American tectonic plate over the last approximate 15 million years.

_______________________________________________________________

Under Yellowstone, Magma Pocket 20% Larger Than Thought

"The finding, based on the most detailed model yet of the region's geologic plumbing, suggests that Yellowstone's magma chamber contains even more fuel for a future "supereruption" than anyone had suspected.

The model shows that a 45-mile-wide (72-kilometer-wide) plume of hot, molten rock rises to feed the supervolcano from at least 410 miles (660 kilometers) beneath Earth's surface.

The deepest part of the plume actually sits beneath the town of Wisdom, Montana, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Yellowstone National Park."

NationalGeographic.com:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091215-yellowstone-volcano-magma-plume-larger.html