Yellowstone is well known for its geysers, hot springs, and mud pots, which are fueled by heat from an immense magma chamber several miles below the surface. Less well known is the extensive scientific collaboration that ensures the area’s geologic hazards are well monitored. This collaboration - the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory - involves 9 different institutions that span government agencies, universities, and non-profit research organizations.
In this presentation, Mike Poland, the Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, will introduce the organization and the hazards of the region. He will also discuss the recent activity and research results, such as the reawakening of Steamboat Geyser, the discovery of a new thermal area near Tern Lake, and ground deformation and earthquakes.
A thermal area was discovered near west Tern Lake during a routine review of thermal satellite imagery in 2018. The area was a healthy forest in 2000, but by 2015 most of the trees were dead and the ground was composed of altered clay materials.