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Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

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Yellowstone
green NORMAL, 2025-01-01 16:54:17 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

An Electromagnetic View of How Magma is Stored beneath Yellowstone

An Electromagnetic View of How Magma is Stored beneath Yellowstone

Looking back on geological activity in Yellowstone during 2024

Looking back on geological activity in Yellowstone during 2024

The explosive story of Excelsior Geyser

The explosive story of Excelsior Geyser

Publications

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

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

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

Map showing the geologic domains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in differing colors
Geologic domains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Geologic domains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Happy New Year! Top 5 Geologic Stories in 2024 Top 5 Yellowstone Stories of 2024 (Yellowstone Monthly Update - Jan 2025)
Top 5 Yellowstone Stories of 2024 (Yellowstone Monthly Update - Jan 2025)
Shaded relief map of the Yellowstone region showing earthquakes during the year 2024 as red dots
Map of earthquakes in the Yellowstone National Park region in 2024
Map of earthquakes in the Yellowstone National Park region in 2024
Graphic with two panels. Top shows steep subduction. Bottom shows flat-slab subduction
Comparison of steep subduction and flat-slab subduction
Comparison of steep subduction and flat-slab subduction
Schematic showing magma storage beneath Yellowstone caldera as colored shapes
Schematic showing magma storage beneath Yellowstone caldera based on magnetotelluric data
Schematic showing magma storage beneath Yellowstone caldera based on magnetotelluric data
Hydrothermal thermal explosions – more common than you think Hydrothermal Explosions — more common than you think! (Yellowstone Monthly Update - Dec 2024)
Hydrothermal Explosions — more common than you think! (Yellowstone Monthly Update - Dec 2024)
Vegetation history based on pollen records from three small lakes on different geological substrates in Yellowstone National
Vegetation history based on pollen records from three small lakes on different geological substrates in Yellowstone National Park
Vegetation history based on pollen records from three small lakes on different geological substrates in Yellowstone National Park
Three-panel figure showing scrubland vegetation (left), conifers (center), and lodgepole pines (right)
Modern vegetation on different geological substrates in Yellowstone
Modern vegetation on different geological substrates in Yellowstone
Obsidian a valuable commodity Obsidian: Not just a valuable commodity in Minecraft. (Yellowstone Monthly Update - November 2024)
Obsidian: Not just a valuable commodity in Minecraft. (Yellowstone Monthly Update - November 2024)
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