Yellowstone Volcano Activity and Map Information
Yellowstone Volcano Activity Information. Yellowstone’s world-famous natural history is marked by such colossal volcanic events that their reflections in today’s landscape are difficult to grasp and impossible to take in at just a glance, even for those familiar with the signs of past volcanism.
The features of Yellowstone National Park result from great explosive eruptions and profound collapse of the ground, enormously thick lava flows, uplift and extensive faulting, and the erosive power of flowing water and ice. For more than a century, geologists have discovered and analyzed evidence of the dramatic events that have shaped the land here. When combined with growing knowledge about how volcanoes work and the never-ending motion of Earth’s surface, the evidence tells a remarkable story of the Yellowstone landscape.
Has earthquake activity at Yellowstone increased dramatically over the last month?
No. Earthquake activity is normal. When earthquakes occur, they appear on the University of Utah’s Yellowstone Earthquake Map, or on the YVO monitoring page. Also see our February 5, 2014 Information Statement about the misinterpretation of noise from a broken seismometer.
Is the recent episode of ground deformation worrisome?
No. Current rates of ground deformation are well within historical norms. Please see our February 18, 2014 Information Statement, for more information about ground deformation at Yellowstone
Do helium emissions at Yellowstone signal an impending eruption?
No. YVO Scientist-in-Charge Jacob Lowenstern and colleagues recently published research on helium (He) emissions at Yellowstone in the journal Nature. The new research looked at apparent changes in the helium output of the Yellowstone area during its two-million-year volcanic history, compared with the previous two billion years of comparative stability. The research has nothing to do with current activity at Yellowstone, and has no implications about volcanic hazards.
Location: Wyoming and Montana
Latitude: 44.615° N
Longitude: 110.6° W
Elevation: 2,805 (m) 9,203 (f)
Volcano type: Caldera
Composition: basalt to rhyolite
Most recent eruption: 70,000 years ago—lava, current—hydrothermal explosions
SOURCE USGS