Stephen Samuelson week 4

For this weeks journal entry I traveled to the Yellowstone Caldera super volcano. This volcano is located in Yellowstone National Park in Northeastern Wyoming. This region has seen many large volcano eruptions going as far back as 2.1 million years ago. This hot spot is also located directly underneath the North American Plate, helping create much of its volcanic activity. Evidence of past eruptions is very obvious. Located all throughout the region are large calderas from previous eruptions. These large craters look sort of like bomb craters where the large expel of magma results in the crust collapsing upon itself.

The previous explosions at Yellowstone we're definitely massive. The last explosion happened roughly 630,000 years ago. It was estimated to release more than 2,500x the amount of ash released by the Mt. St. Helen's eruption in Washington State. This eruption resulted in the 1,500 square mile caldera that we see today at the site. Even still, the heat and power that caused that explosion is still powering the many geysers and hot springs located there today.

Yellowstone is definitely going to erupt again. This location is a very active volcanic hot spot with numerous hot springs and geysers located throughout the calderas. Ground deformation and bulging has been monitored throughout the region with some estimates of an eruption happening in the next few thousand years.

“Volcano.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/volcano.htm.

“Here Is What Happened the Last Time the Yellowstone Volcano Erupted: Researchers.” Www.theepochtimes.com, 8 Mar. 2019, www.theepochtimes.com/here-is-what-happened-the-last-time-the-yellowstone-volcano-erupted-researchers_2829944.html.

Program, Volcano Hazards. “Volcano Hazards Program YVO Yellowstone.” USGS, volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/status.html.