Images

Cross section of the Western Snake River Plain, Idaho.

A gas plume rises above lava fountains in a lava lake in the summit crater of Nyiragongo volcano on 20 August 1994. USGS photo by Jack Lockwood.

Photo of a deep-ocean hydrothermal vent system from the East Pacific Rise at 9º39’N latitude and 2550 m (8366 ft) depth showing vigorously venting “black smoker” hydrothermal fluids (329 °C, or 624 °F) that are dark gray to black due to rapid precipitation of iron, copper, and zinc sulfide minerals as the hot water mixes with cold bottom waters.

Color-shaded relief topographic map of the track of the Yellowstone hotspot showing the ages and locations of volcanic fields and faulting patterns which become younger to the northeast.  Areas in cooler colors (greens and blues) represent low topographic elevations, whereas warmer colors (oranges and reds) represent high elevations.  Adapted from

Porkchop Geyser erupting in August 1989.

Ice cone at Porkchop Geyser in March 1989.

Photo of damage to the Mammoth-Norris highway, just south of Mammoth Hot Springs, caused by the June 30, 1975, magnitude-6 earthquake.  Haynes Inc. photo for the Deseret News.

Gibbon River in Gibbon Meadows immediate following the June 30, 1975, magnitude-6 Yellowstone National Park earthquake.  The muddy color is due to increased sediment load.  NPS photo by Rick Hutchinson.

Muddy thermal discharge (foreground) near Congress Pool (middle ground) in Norris Geyser Basin following the June 30, 1975, magnitude-6 Yellowstone National Park earthquake,  NPS photo by Rick Hutchinson.

Map: Index map showing locations of 1967–1968 research drill holes in Yellowstone National Park. Taken from USGS Bulletin 1967.

Morning Glory Pool used to be clear blue in color, as shown in the historic undated photo on the left (National Park Service photo by Rentchler).

An example Correlation of Map Units chart from the Surficial Geologic Map of Yellowstone National Park (U.S. Geological Survey, 1972) that demonstrates a typical classification scheme for surficial units.

Generalized geologic map of the Eocene Absaroka volcanic field (modified from Smedes and Prostka, 1972 and “Geology of Wyoming”).

Shoshone Tukudika (Sheepeater) men, women, and children at Medicine Lodge Creek, Idaho, in 1871. This photo was taken by U.S. Geological Survey employee William Henry Jackson.  Courtesy of National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, YELL 8151.

Seismic geyser in eruption in 1970.

Graphical abstract of the new research paper. The scientists collect samples from the rocks forming near hot springs and geysers. They dissolve small amounts of the rock in acid and organic carbon (created by living organisms) remains behind.

Time lapse of January 17, 2010, earthquake swarm on Madison Plateau, Yellowstone National Park.

Silicified logs of Queen's Laundry bathhouse

Pearlette Ash in Comanche County, Kansas.  Kansas Geological Survey photo by Grace Muilenburg, April 1969 (https://chasm.kgs.ku.edu/ords/pubcat.phd2.View_Photo?f_id=3165).

Eruptions from drill rods during research drilling in Yellowstone National Park, 1967–1968. Left panel shows initial explosive eruption of water-steam mixture from open drill pipe in drill hole Y-5 (Rabbit Creek) on August 20, 1967.

Bob Fournier (left) and Don White (right) at the Y3 drilling site in Pocket Basin adjacent to Ojo Caliente, Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, in 1967.  USGS Photo.