Deep below the surface of the Yellowstone Supervolcano, there are reservoirs filled with explosive magma that could potentially lead to increased volcanic activity in the northeast region. Scientists from the US Geological Survey and Oregon State University have been studying the natural electromagnetic fields around the Yellowstone Caldera and have identified at least seven reservoirs of magma with high content. These reservoirs are located at different depths, ranging from 4 to 47 kilometers, near the boundary where the Earth’s crust meets the mantle. Some of these reservoirs are interconnected and may be feeding into each other in a complex network.
Interestingly, the research suggests that volcanic activity in the western part of Yellowstone may be decreasing. Certain areas of the caldera have chambers of magma stored in separate regions with low melt fractions, making them less likely to erupt. On the other hand, a significant reservoir of explosive eruption-associated magma, known as rhyolitic magma, has been discovered beneath the northeast Yellowstone Caldera. This reservoir is being supplied with heat and material from basalt moving up from the Earth’s lower crust, resulting in up to 440 cubic kilometers of magma being stored underground.
The researchers believe that the location of future rhyolitic volcanic activity has shifted to the northeast Yellowstone Caldera, making explosive eruptions more likely in this area. However, it’s important to note that these findings do not necessarily indicate an imminent eruption. Volcanic processes operate on geological timescales, which are much longer than human timescales. Yellowstone has experienced three massive explosive volcanic eruptions in the past 2.1 million years, with an average interval of approximately 725,000 years between eruptions. While the last major eruption occurred 631,000 years ago, it does not mean that another eruption is imminent.
Predicting volcanic activity is notoriously difficult, so it’s always best to be cautious. The study detailing these findings has been published in the journal Nature.
