YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – Yellowstone’s super volcano has way more magma flowing beneath the surface than previously believed. In fact, new research finds there could be twice as much magma at a shallow depth.
Scientists say it’s not like a vat of lava. It’s more like a snowcone, part solid and part liquid. They also say this does not indicate a catastrophic eruption going to happen soon. There’s simply not enough molten rock gathered for that to occur right now. And we’ll likely get decades of warning before a volcanic event at Yellowstone’s caldera in the form of large earthquakes and the ground lifting by tens of feet.
The magma is what creates the hot springs and geysers that attract visitors from around the world and serve as key parts of the park’s rich ecosystem.
National Park News
