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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

Filter Total Items: 378
The Underloved Tuffs of Yellowstone

The Underloved Tuffs of Yellowstone

The thick ash deposits from past large Yellowstone explosive eruptions are well known, and can be seen throughout the region.  But there are also...

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The Flight of the Nez Perce

The Flight of the Nez Perce

Summer 2023 marks 146 years since the flight of the Nez Perce, when an indigenous tribe crossed Yellowstone in an attempt to reach Canada and during a...

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How hot are Yellowstone’s boiling waters? Some are hotter than others

How hot are Yellowstone’s boiling waters? Some are hotter than others

Yellowstone has numerous hot springs, but not all of them boil at the same temperature. This is because the boiling temperature depends on the...

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A plan for monitoring the Yellowstone Volcanic System

A plan for monitoring the Yellowstone Volcanic System

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory recently published a monitoring plan for better understanding and tracking earthquake, magmatic, and hydrothermal...

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Record Flooding in Yellowstone: What Did the Seismic Network Record?

Record Flooding in Yellowstone: What Did the Seismic Network Record?

You’ve probably heard about the record flooding that took place in Yellowstone on June 10–13, 2022, but did you ever think if the many seismometers in...

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How might the devastating June 2022 floods in and around Yellowstone National Park influence seismic and hydrothermal activity?

How might the devastating June 2022 floods in and around Yellowstone National Park influence seismic and hydrothermal activity?

Last week, flooding at Yellowstone caused catastrophic damage in the region, destroying homes, roads, and bridges, and isolating entire communities...

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The Dynamic Floor of Yellowstone Lake over the Past 14,000 Years

The Dynamic Floor of Yellowstone Lake over the Past 14,000 Years

Studies of sediment on the floor of Yellowstone Lake reveal a dynamic history marked by some of the largest-known hydrothermal explosions on Earth...

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The underappreciated fossil riches of Yellowstone

The underappreciated fossil riches of Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park is known for its impressive thermal features and abundant wildlife, including bears, wolves, and bison. But did you know the...

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Honing our skills: YVO scientists refine their strategy for responding to geological events

Honing our skills: YVO scientists refine their strategy for responding to geological events

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory consortium recently held its first in-person meeting in 4 years.  The workshop provided a chance not only to...

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"Parkitecture” in Yellowstone

"Parkitecture” in Yellowstone

Visitors to many National Parks in the USA notice and enjoy the iconic buildings made with local materials. These structures are so unique that the...

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A new season of geoscience field work in Yellowstone!

A new season of geoscience field work in Yellowstone!

May means the start of geological field work in Yellowstone, and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory has a lot planned for 2022!

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A Geological Excursion between Tower and Canyon Junctions in Yellowstone National Park

A Geological Excursion between Tower and Canyon Junctions in Yellowstone National Park

For the first time in two years, Yellowstone National Park visitors will be able to drive from Tower to Canyon Junctions across Dunraven Pass, now...

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The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report—available at a website near you!

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report—available at a website near you!

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory 2021 annual report has been published!  Your one-stop shop for the year that was in Yellowstone geological...

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A 10,000-year history of geo-ecological change in Lower Geyser Basin

A 10,000-year history of geo-ecological change in Lower Geyser Basin

Today, Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone is a treeless plain characterized by steaming ground, geysers, and mudpots. But thousands of years ago, it...

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Let’s Get into Hot Water

Let’s Get into Hot Water

Deep beneath Yellowstone is a mysterious place, where water cannot penetrate and rocks flow like silly putty. Strange conditions exist in the deepest...

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Practice makes better!

Practice makes better!

In February, 100 scientists got together to practice coordinating themselves during a pretend volcanic eruption.

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Newly discovered (but not newly formed) thermal areas in Yellowstone

Newly discovered (but not newly formed) thermal areas in Yellowstone

On the North side of the Mallard Lake resurgent dome there are several isolated thermal areas that were recently mapped using high-resolution visible...

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Novel technique peeks beneath the ground at Yellowstone’s hot water plumbing system

Novel technique peeks beneath the ground at Yellowstone’s hot water plumbing system

What do the subsurface fluid pathways look like for all of the hot springs and geysers scattered throughout Yellowstone?  A new set of data from an...

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Two Ocean Pass—A place where fish can swim over the Continental Divide!

Two Ocean Pass—A place where fish can swim over the Continental Divide!

Near the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park is a curious location—a pass on the Continental Divide that is so gentle, fish can swim across...

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The Exploration of Yellowstone

The Exploration of Yellowstone

The isolated and rugged Yellowstone region remained a “hole” in the map of North America until the 1870s.  Indigenous North Americans knew the area...

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Ground deformation at Yellowstone: How does it compare to other calderas?

Ground deformation at Yellowstone: How does it compare to other calderas?

It’s common knowledge that the ground at Yellowstone goes up and down over time. Since 1923, the center of the caldera has risen overall by nearly 3...

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