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Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

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Yellowstone
green NORMAL, 2025-06-02 17:04:06 UTC

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) is a consortium of nine state and federal agencies who provide timely monitoring and hazard assessment of volcanic, hydrothermal, and earthquake activity in the Yellowstone Plateau region. The USGS arm of YVO is also responsible for monitoring and reporting on volcanic activity in the intermountain west U.S. states.

News

Listening for hydrothermal activity (and more!) in Yellowstone

A new view of Biscuit Basin (literally!)

Yellowstone’s thermal areas, by the numbers

Publications

Volcano crisis response at Yellowstone volcanic complex - after-action report for exercise held at Salt Lake City, Utah, November 15, 2011 Volcano crisis response at Yellowstone volcanic complex - after-action report for exercise held at Salt Lake City, Utah, November 15, 2011

A functional tabletop exercise was run on November 14-15, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to test crisis response capabilities, communication protocols, and decision-making by the staff of the multi-agency Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) as they reacted to a hypothetical exercise scenario of accelerating volcanic unrest at the Yellowstone caldera. The exercise simulated a rapid build...
Authors
Thomas C. Pierson, Carolyn L. Driedger, Robert I. Tilling

History of surface displacements at the Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, from leveling surveys and InSAR observations, 1923-2008 History of surface displacements at the Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, from leveling surveys and InSAR observations, 1923-2008

Modern geodetic studies of the Yellowstone caldera, Wyoming, and its extraordinary tectonic, magmatic, and hydrothermal systems date from an initial leveling survey done throughout Yellowstone National Park in 1923 by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. A repeat park-wide survey by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of Utah during 1975-77 revealed that the central part...
Authors
Daniel Dzurisin, Charles W. Wicks, Michael P. Poland

Water chemistry and electrical conductivity database for rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Water chemistry and electrical conductivity database for rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Chloride flux has been used to estimate heat flow in volcanic environments since the method was developed in New Zealand by Ellis and Wilson (1955). The method can be applied effectively at Yellowstone, because nearly all of the water discharged from its thermal features enters one of four major rivers (the Madison, Yellowstone, Snake, and Falls Rivers) that drain the park, and thus...
Authors
Laura E. Clor, R. Blaine McCleskey, Mark A. Huebner, Jacob B. Lowenstern, Henry P. Heasler, Dan L. Mahony, Tim Maloney, William C. Evans

Multimedia

Yellowstone's Magma Chamber: A Hot Mess Yellowstone's Magma Chamber - A Hot Mess! (Yellowstone Monthly Update - June 2025)
Yellowstone's Magma Chamber - A Hot Mess! (Yellowstone Monthly Update - June 2025)
At sunset a small plume of muddy water erupts from an otherwise placid, steaming pool surrounded by barren rocky ground Black Diamond Pool (Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park) eruption on May 31, 2025
Black Diamond Pool (Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park) eruption on May 31, 2025
At sunset a small plume of muddy water erupts from an otherwise placid, steaming pool surrounded by barren rocky ground
Eruption from Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park, captured by a webcam on May 31, 2025
Eruption from Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park, captured by a webcam on May 31, 2025
Webcam view of a steaming and murky pool surrounded by barren ground with rocky cliffs in the distance.
Biscuit Basin webcam view
Biscuit Basin webcam view
Webcam on a mast attached to a battery box on a boardwalk overlooking a murky and steaming pool
Biscuit Basin webcam temporary deployment
Biscuit Basin webcam temporary deployment
Plot showing acoustic signals over time May 3, 2025, bolide acoustic signal recorded by infrasound station in Yellowstone National Park
May 3, 2025, bolide acoustic signal recorded by infrasound station in Yellowstone National Park
Map of Yellowstone thermal areas with insets showing high-resolution satellite views of selected regions
Map of Yellowstone thermal areas with insets showing high-resolution satellite views of selected regions
Map of Yellowstone thermal areas with insets showing high-resolution satellite views of selected regions
Plot showing acoustic signals over time
May 3, 2025, bolide acoustic signal recorded by infrasound station in Yellowstone National Park
May 3, 2025, bolide acoustic signal recorded by infrasound station in Yellowstone National Park
Finding Lava Flows in Yellowstone Finding Lava Flows in Yellowstone (Yellowstone Monthly Update – May 2025)
Finding Lava Flows in Yellowstone (Yellowstone Monthly Update – May 2025)
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