Yellowstone

I have such fond memories of visiting Yellowstone. We would vacation there during the summoner at least once a year. Sometimes we would head down twice in the summer to visit with family or friends. Every visit I am still amazed by the geysers, hot springs, and the general formation of the area. While being aww structed as a child I never knew that Yellowstone was actually an active super volcano. Now knowing that it is a super volcano still adds a bit of excitement and wonder to the area. Yellowstone is a caldera. A caldera occurs when a magma reserve is emptied and then caves in. The last time Yellowstone had a super eruption was over 600,000 years ago. It is estimated that the explosive eruption was 2,500 times greater than the eruption of Mount Saint Helen (get year). It is estimated that the super eruption ejected volcanic ash approximately 240 cubic miles. 

Researchers believe that it is likely that Yellowstone will erupt again it is just a matter of time just not any time soon. There was upward movement of the Yellowstone Caldera from 2004-2008 where it increased almost 3 inches each year. However, in 2009 the increase has all but stopped, or is increasing and an insignificant rate. Also, currently the magma reservoir is estimated to low to cause a eruption. If Yellowstone caldera was to erupt again it would cause unimaginable damage. It is hard to believe that something so beautiful can be so deadly.