A new study has revealed that the giant volcano in Yellowstone, which could cause widespread destruction when it erupts, holds twice the amount of magma previously thought. This discovery was made through analyzing ground vibrations to create three-dimensional images of the magma chamber beneath the Earth's formation. Previous images showed a concentration of only 10%, but new research has noted that 16 to 20% of the caldera contains magma.
Min Chen, an assistant professor at Michigan State University (MUS) and a contributor to the work, stated that the result "does not indicate the likelihood of an eruption in the near future." Chen mentioned in a statement, "Any signs of changes in the system will be captured by the geophysical network that continuously monitors Yellowstone." Unfortunately, Chen was unable to see the final results.
The volcano is located in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana, sitting atop a massive reservoir of molten rock, and last erupted 640,000 years ago. It is one of the largest active continental volcanic fields in the world. The images were created by Ross Maguire, a postdoctoral researcher at Michigan State University, who used a technique known as seismic tomography to generate the images. However, they were not clear enough to accurately determine the magma capacity.
Chen utilized her skills with supercomputers to model the images more precisely, showing how seismic waves propagate through the earth. The result was clearer and more focused images. While the study indicates that the immense volcano is not primed for an eruption, should it occur, it could blanket the United States in a "nuclear winter."
An in-depth report from HowStuffWorks detailed the process that could occur in the event of a volcanic eruption. It explains that a mixture of magma, rock, steam, carbon dioxide, and other gases would eventually burst forth from the ground, creating a dome shape with cracks. The dissolved gases would then explode, releasing magma across the park. They estimate that a volcanic eruption could kill nearly 90,000 people instantly and unleash a layer of molten ash up to 10 feet high over 1,000 miles from the park.
