Tracking Changes in Yellowstone's Restless Volcanic System
2004. Tracking Changes in Yellowstone's Restless Volcanic System. USGS Fact Sheet 100-03. USGS. Reston, VA
The world-famous Yellowstone geysers and hot springs are fueled by heat released from an enormous reservoir of magma (partially molten rock beneath the ground). Since the 1970’s, scientists have tracked rapid uplift and subsidence of the ground and significant changes in hydrothermal (hot water) features and earthquake activity. In 2001, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory was created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Utah, and Yellowstone National Park to strengthen scientists’ ability to track activity that could result in hazardous seismic, hydrothermal, or volcanic events in the region