Yellowstone magma plume studied

.UPI ^ | Dec. 15, 2009 | Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research

[george76]

University of Utah scientists say seismic images of the plumbing feeding the Yellowstone supervolcano show a magma plume much larger than previously thought.

Scientists say they've imaged a plume of hot and molten rock rising at an angle from the northwest at a depth of at least 410 miles, contradicting claims there is no deep plume, only shallow hot rock moving like slowly boiling soup.

A related University of Utah study used gravity measurements to indicate the banana-shaped magma chamber of hot and molten rock a few miles beneath Yellowstone is 20 percent larger than previously believed, so a future cataclysmic eruption could be even larger than projected.

The studies, led by Professor Robert Smith, suggest the same "hotspot" that feeds Yellowstone volcanism also triggered the Columbia River "flood basalts" that buried parts of Oregon, Washington state and Idaho with lava starting 17 million years ago.

[Ann Archy]

Only a matter of time, it seems......KABOOM!

[Ben Mugged]

And according to Al Gore the magma is millions of degrees.

[HerrBlucher]

Didn’t Yellowstone act up about this time last year? Lots of seismic activity and several related “were doomed” threads here at FR?

[Bob Buchholz]

Not until December 2012.

[Night Hides Not]

Only a matter of time, it seems......KABOOM!

December 2012, perhaps?

[Verginius Rufus]

Whenever it happens, it will be Bush’s fault. Or Cheney’s—he’s from Wyoming.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Sooner or later, that thing is gonna screw us up!

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[ClearCase_guy]

[Billg64]

If only we could cause enough global warming, to melt enough ice, to cover yellowstone, to cause the water to cool the magma chamber. We would all be safe then, so we need to all produce more carbon and methane and other "greenhouse" gasses.

Yeah that's the ticket. Al Gore could write a book about it, and make a movie, and get all the kids on board by making it required viewing or reading, and he could save the planet, and make a little extra jing while he's at it.

That settles it, the debate is over!

[george76]

Yellowstone’s super-volcano has blown about every 650,000 years, the last eruption being 649,000 years ago ?

[Puppage]

MAGMA

[mewzilla]

Just for giggles...

Olivine Crystallization and Mantle Potential Temperatures Beneath Yellowstone

[Repeal The 17th]

Do any of you know of any reading material
that correlates the impact of variations
in earth temperature on plate tectonics?

[Red Badger]

http://www.earthmountainview.com/yellowstone/yellowstone.htm

[ZX12R]

If this thing went off, would global warming still be a serious issue?

[reagan_fanatic]

Yellowstone is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I can’t wait until I can go back again. It would be a darned shame to see it go kablooey.

[mewzilla]

May work the other way around....

Plate Tectonics May Take a Break