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Caldera Chronicles

Caldera Chronicles is a weekly article written by U.S. Geological Survey Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists and colleagues.

Caldera Chronicles

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The diverse chemistry of Yellowstone's hydrothermal features

The diverse chemistry of Yellowstone's hydrothermal features

Investigations into the water chemistry of Yellowstone's geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and streams and rivers have been conducted by the U.S...

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The Yellowstone Hotspot and Columbia River Basalts

The Yellowstone Hotspot and Columbia River Basalts

The arrival of volcanoes in that area is geologically recent, however—volcanism associated with Yellowstone has migrated over 400 miles across...

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The early recognition of Yellowstone's volcanic character

The early recognition of Yellowstone's volcanic character

Looking back at early accounts of Yellowstone allows us to appreciate how our understanding has changed over time.

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The 2017 YVO annual report—a new product of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory!

The 2017 YVO annual report—a new product of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory!

Last week, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2017 Annual Report was published online.

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Why do we monitor carbon dioxide emissions in Yellowstone, and how?

Why do we monitor carbon dioxide emissions in Yellowstone, and how?

The carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the Yellowstone magmatic-hydrothermal system has a number of characteristics that make it an important gas to...

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What is an earthquake swarm?

What is an earthquake swarm?

Yellowstone, like many regions with hydrothermal activity, often exhibits earthquake swarms. But how do we define an earthquake swarm and distinguish...

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So many scientific sensors in Yellowstone! So… Where are they?

So many scientific sensors in Yellowstone! So… Where are they?

Yellowstone is one of the best instrumented volcanoes in the world. There are several dozen GPS stations, seismometers, temperature sensors, river...

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Talking about talking about Yellowstone (and geohazards)

Talking about talking about Yellowstone (and geohazards)

Three YVO scientist communicators joined up with a university social scientist and earthquake-science communicator to offer a short course on...

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Journey into the roots of a hydrothermal vent system!

Journey into the roots of a hydrothermal vent system!

Multiple hydrothermal breccia pipes are exposed along the northern and western shores of Yellowstone Lake and provide clues into the shallow roots of...

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Part-time GPS – What's Up With That?

Part-time GPS – What's Up With That?

The backbone of Yellowstone's ground-based monitoring network consists of seismic stations, which detect earthquakes, and GPS (Global Positioning...

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A personal commentary: Why I dislike the term "supervolcano" (and what we should be saying instead)

A personal commentary: Why I dislike the term "supervolcano" (and what we should be saying instead)

Let's ditch the overused, misrepresentative, and misapplied "supervolcano" term. Instead, let's call them "caldera systems."

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No, Yellowstone isn't going to wipe out humanity

No, Yellowstone isn't going to wipe out humanity

YVO gets a lot of questions about whether Yellowstone, or another caldera system, will end all life on Earth. The answer is—NO, a large explosive...

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Top ten things I miss (and don't miss) about Yellowstone and YVO

Top ten things I miss (and don't miss) about Yellowstone and YVO

"It's been two years now since I stepped away from YVO, and I wanted to take this time to reflect a bit on my experiences with the observatory and as...

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The case of the Lava Creek Tuff and the empty reentrants

The case of the Lava Creek Tuff and the empty reentrants

Geoscientists have never observed an active magma reservoir firsthand because magmas are stored inaccessibly deep underground. However, crystals are...

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Just how many thermal features are there in Yellowstone?

Just how many thermal features are there in Yellowstone?

Yellowstone National park hosts more than 10,000 hydrothermal features including hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, and mud pots. But did you know that...

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Yellowstone's newest thermal area: An up-close and personal visit!

Yellowstone's newest thermal area: An up-close and personal visit!

USGS and Yellowstone National Park scientists visited a newly discovered thermal site in the park. They mapped the extent of the area and took the...

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Helium isotopes carry messages from the mantle

Helium isotopes carry messages from the mantle

Scientists who work at Yellowstone are interested in finding physical and chemical signals from the deep magmatic system, both to better understand...

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What caused Yellowstone's past eruptions, and how do we know?

What caused Yellowstone's past eruptions, and how do we know?

What does cause an eruption at volcanoes like Yellowstone? To answer this question, we look at small crystals that formed in erupted volcanic rocks! 

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60 years since the 1959 M7.3 Hebgen Lake earthquake: its history and effects on the Yellowstone region

60 years since the 1959 M7.3 Hebgen Lake earthquake: its history and effects on the Yellowstone region

Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's...

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Yellowstone's icy past

Yellowstone's icy past

Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's...

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Alterations to go! Hydrothermal alteration in Yellowstone

Alterations to go! Hydrothermal alteration in Yellowstone

What is hydrothermal alteration, and why is it important? Most visitors to Yellowstone National Park are only vaguely aware of hydrothermal (hot water...

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