Thermal activity closes part of Yellowstone

US Geological Service ^ | July 22, 2003 | National Park Service

[gitmo]

Closure of the western part of the Back Basin Trail within the Norris Geyser Basin
Press Release http://www.nps.gov/yell/press/0362.htm

On July 22, Yellowstone National Park issued a press release to inform the public that it would close the western part of the Back Basin Trail within the Norris Geyser Basin. This follows increased thermal output within this area including areas immediately adjacent to the trail, beginning on July 11. Norris is the hottest and most seismically active geyser basin in Yellowstone. Recent activity in the Norris Geyser Basin has included formation of new mud pots, an eruption of Porkchop Geyser (dormant since 1989), the draining of several geysers, creating steam vents and significantly increased measured ground temperatures (up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit). Additional observations include vegetation dying due to thermal activity and the changing of several geysers' eruption intervals. Vixen Geyser has become more frequent and Echinus Geyser has become more regular.

Much of this activity may be attributed to the "annual disturbance", which, as implied by its name, is an annual event at Norris with increased boiling, increased turbidity of thermal pools, and apparent increased injection of waters from deeper parts of the hydrothermal system. The disturbance occurs within the summer season. A study of changes during the 1995 annual disturbance was published by Fournier et al. (2002). This year, changes at Norris are more pronounced than in previous years.

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July 2003 Yellowstone Seismicity Summary

During the month of July 2003, 37 earthquakes were located in the Yellowstone region. The largest shock to occur during this report period was a magnitude 2.0 earthquake on July 4th at 06:22 UTC, located about 6 miles west northwest of Norris Junction, Wyoming.

Earthquake activity in the Yellowstone region is at background levels.

[Mike Darancette]

TICK TICK TICK

[ChewedGum]

It's not that I think Bush lied, it's just that I don't see Sadaam being stupid enough to buy Yellowstone from Niger...Oh...YellowCAKE?...Never mind.

Gum

[Valin]

I recall seeing a show on PBS a couple of years ago that said that there is a large hot spot that is slowly moving west into the Yellowstone basin. They also talked about the Cascades becoming more active.

[hemogoblin]

We just visited Yellowstone in June; here are the kids at the Fountain Paint Pots, just south of the Norris basin. Wonder if it will look rather different someday soon ...

[Mike Darancette]

I recall seeing a show on PBS a couple of years ago that said that there is a large hot spot that is slowly moving west into the Yellowstone basin.

The Yellowstone Caldera is already there. Hot spots remain stationary while the tectonic plates move over them.

The Yellowstone hot spot first appeared about 17 Million Years ago (MYA) at a point on the North American Plate which today corresponds to SE Oregon. The plate moves in a SW direction giving the hot spot the appearance of moving in a NE direction.

The trail of the North American Plate over the hot spot is a trail of destruction on a massive scale. The trail starts with massive Basaltic Lava flows indicating that the crust was rent with massive lava producing fissures. At intervals along the trail there are indications of multiple explosive volcanic events (calderas), of which Yellowstone is but the latest.

Enjoy Yellowstone Park, someday it will not be there.

[Calvin Locke]

Imagine that someone could actually add medicine to the geysers.(sarcasm)

Umm, I took a tour in New Zealand to see the Lady Anne Geyser. Goes off everyday at 10:15.

Well, around 10:15, a park guy shows up, explains the history of it, and dumps some pure soap in the mouth and steps away.

The soap breaks the surface tension of the water and it slowly starts to erupt.

[Centurion2000]

bump

[TEXOKIE]

I just received this email from some friends who live in the Yellowstone area:

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To whom it may concern,

It is now confirmed: North Geyser Basin (Norris Geyser) of the Park is CLOSED due to magma activity and heating.

In Yellowstone Lake....a major uplift is now occurring...it is 2500 feet long. The north end of the lake is now tilting up.

Steamboat geyser has been dormant for about 50 years. It is now ACTIVE. Sonar side scans have been taken that indicate that theYellowstone caldera **MAY** be going active also.

Please refer to the maps on the following web pages.

Yellowstone Caldera:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/Lv1Map.html

Norris Geyser Area:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/press/images/norrislocatormap.gif

The Yellowstone caldera was formed over 600,000 years ago. This caldera covers an area greater than 20 by 40 kilometers. It is 10 kilometers deep. It is a major caldera (see map). Scientists have predicted that IF the Yellowstone cladera blows, it will blow with a force of magnitude 8. Mt St Helen was a magnitude five explosion. If the explosive force of Mt. St. Helen is viewed as the size of a marble, the explosive force of the Yellowstone caldera would be the size of a beachball. The sound from this size of explosion would be heard around the world. The lava flows will initially range from 10km to 15km from the caldera and then spread out to a 75 kilometer radius. The ash will devastate most major crops in the USA.

Currently, the situation does not look good. Indications are that the Yellowstone caldera is getting ready to blow. If it does blow, it will surely have a devastating impact on Gardiner and the surrounding area.

Here is the site that is monitoring the activity in Yellowstone and gave out the Alert:

Here is the press release: (Near as I can tell, it's the article cited above. --TEXOKIE)
http://www.nps.gov/yell/press/0362.htm

The following articles have more details on the overall trends:

http://yowusa.com/Archive/Jun2003/volcanism1/volcanism1.htm
http://www.yowusa.com/Archive/Jul2003/volcanism2/volcanism2.htm
God bless.

[Alamo-Girl]

Jeepers! Thanks for the heads up!

[Saturnalia]

Bump and whatnot.

[Junior]

Super Volcano In Yellowstone National Park

[DLfromthedesert]

We must pray to reverse this tide. God Bless the Gardiner area and all the people who live there.

[TEXOKIE]

Excellent point, DL!! Thanks for nudging me to pray about this.

Dear Father in Heaven,

According to thy will we call forth a reversal of any and all tendency for the hot spot under Yellowstone to "go critical". We call forth your mercy for that area and for this nation and the implications such an explosion would have. Heal the waters and the framework of the area's lakes and geyser systems. Let your hand go deep into the earth to adjust the pressures there. According to thy will, we call forth a relieving of the pressures building up in such a way that will minimize destruction of property and loss of life. Let the Yellowstone area continue to be a place of refuge for people to surround themselves in nature and not to be a place to avoid either because of fear of what may happen or because, God forbid, the worst did happen.

As a nation, we have always, from its discovery, considered Yellowstone to be a great gift to us from your heart. Father, we ask that you will preserve it and us as a nation. Forgive us for any and all error we have knowingly or unknowingly committed. Guide our leaders and our people through the challenges before us.

We see instances in the Bible where disasters occur because your people did not adhere to your Law. When they were repentant, they were spared. If we as your people continue in a similar relationship to you, as those we see in scripture of old, and we are under that kind of covenant, we ask that you will have mercy on us. Surround us and the entire cause and core of these earth-changing conditions with your mercy. Father, let our prayers be magnified and multiplied. Let our nation and the peoples of the earth hear your very heartbeat within them. Let there be a reclaiming of our spiritual heritage. Let us reclaim fully those words we have as a nation, "In God We Trust." Let there at least be found the "10 Righteous Men" for whom you would spare the City...in this case the nation.

Father we surrender all to your Will, for It is Good.

Amen

[Soaring Feather]

Prayers for safety.

[Alamo-Girl]

I join in agreement praying for the safety of all involved.

[manna]

Prayer sent ...

[TEXOKIE]

Gitmo, it wasnt my intention to turn this into a prayer thread, but as dlfromthedesert points out, it could be a serious thing and a matter for prayer for those who like to consign such things to the altar. Thank you so much for letting us briefly add our spiritual 2 cents worth here!

Ms Feather, AG, and manna, thank you for joining in prayers for the preservation and protection of our wilderness area around Yellowstone.

[TEXOKIE]

I just got this message from my friend about the volcanic/hot spot activity going on in the western mountain ranges. Apparently there have been many who have joined into the prayer efforts. Yellowstone has quietened down a bit, although Mt Rainier seems to be awakening. Thought those of you who have been interested in this would like to see this update. Thank you for any and all prayers offered in this matter.
Tex

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Keep up prayers on Yellowstone park etc....they are working! This is a news report forwarded....



What follows is an update as of (8/13/03) on the seismic situation in Yellowstone Park. This is followed by a news report on Mt. Rainier.

The Yellowstone situation has really settled down. Just the usual swarm of micro-quakes is going on right now. Nothing major to report. Even the sun has taken a breather.

Earth quakes world wide is another matter. The plate tectonic boundaries are still on the move....some 6.2 quakes but mostly in the 3.8 to 5.2 range. The latest was in Panama a few miles out of Colon and the others being down at the boundary of the Antarctica...some below S. America and other below Australia


Mt. Rainier Could be Trouble
13-Aug-2003


Mt Rainier
The U.S. Geologic Survey warns that Mount Rainier near Seattle is getting ready to spew out another ton of mud, and that could be only the beginning of an eruptive period. USGS volcano monitor William E. Scott says it's "a monumental threat."

Blaine Harden writes in The Washington Post that volcanologists used to think Rainier was fairly stable, but now they've changed their minds. They want local emergency management officials to launch an early-warning system and a public awareness campaign telling people to "enjoy the volcano in your back yard" but to be prepared to run if necessary. Roads leading to and from Rainier have signs that read: "Volcano Evacuation Route." They're a tourist attraction, and keep getting stolen.

People who live in the town nearest Rainier have about 40 minutes to flee. Inside the national park that's home to the mountain, people have about five minutes. No other volcano in the lower 48 states threatens so many people.

Mount Rainier is still an active volcano, and what's worse, it's rotting from the inside out, especially on its western side, which faces heavily populated areas. It has a history of spontaneously collapsing, causing massive mudflows called lahars.

About 150,000 people now live on top of lahars that were created over the past 5,000 years. The lahars stretch for 50 to 75 miles, all the way down to the ports of Tacoma and Seattle. If a lahar starts flowing, it will set off air-raid sirens that can be heard by about 30,000 people. Mount St. Helens, which erupted in 1980, killing 57 people, is more active than Rainier, but it's not near large population areas.

"Lahar" means "volcanic mudflow" in Indonesian. The rot inside Rainier
is caused by trapped gas, which turns the rock into clay the consistency of concrete, that can flow 40 miles an hour. Rainier "burps" a batch of
this mud about every 500 to 1,000 years. "The bad news is that the window of opportunity is now open," says Steve Bailey, director of emergency management for Pierce County, where damage is most likely. "The good news is that the window is 500 years long."

[Alamo-Girl]

Praise God!!! Thanks for the update! Prayers continuing...

[StriperSniper]

Discovery Channel show about this tonight:

Supervolcanoes