From Deseret News archives:
Yellowstone's caldera rising
Bob Smith, one of the leading researchers into Yellowstone's geology, presented some of his findings at the American Geological Union meeting in San Francisco this week.
Smith and other geologists from the University of Utah are particularly interested in two subterranean lava domes deep beneath the Yellowstone caldera.
"We've gone to this really pronounced, and I would say unprecedented, uplift of the caldera," he said.
But he said any talk of an eruption would be far-fetched.
In fact, it's typical for Yellowstone's caldera to rise and fall. Scientists say it's been happening for at least 15,000 years, with some shifts of more than 10 feet.
Portions of the caldera rose more than 3 feet between 1923 and 1984 and then dropped nearly 8 inches from 1985 to 1995. Measurements in 1995 and 1996 showed the caldera rising again before starting to fall in 1997.
The latest upward motion has been unusual for its speed.
Smith said an infusion of magma may be heating up groundwater and causing the ground to bulge.
"It's like inflating the balloon, but the balloon is capped," he said.
Recent comments
Notice that with each rise the fall isn't enough to equal out the...
Touchet | Oct. 13, 2009 at 5:54 p.m.
its not a matter of if it will its when. if it erupts every 600000...
alrin | Sept. 15, 2008 at 4:14 p.m.
lets have a worldwide volcanic winter we humans need a kick up the...
dan bedworth | July 4, 2008 at 7:25 p.m.
- Report: 1 in 5 on mortgage relief 9:04 p.m.
- Adobe says it will cut 680 jobs 9:03 p.m.
- Utility worker killed in Roosevelt 8:57 p.m.
- 12 Utes return to Texas 8:56 p.m.
- 4A preview: Springville vs. Dixie 8:54 p.m.
- Senate Demos move to curb Fed 8:50 p.m.
- Hall would rather take a hit 8:50 p.m.
- 4A football: Mustangs vs. Tbirds 8:47 p.m.
- Family deals with relative's assets 8:45 p.m.
- 3A football: Wasatch vs. Juan Diego 8:44 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Utes get extra motivation
- Senators want food tax restored
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- U. hopes to keep clicking
- House passes health care bill
260 - TCU showdown has big implications
187 - Lobo suspended
185 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
146 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
103
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
With the LDS church professing to be THE Church of Jesus Christ on the earth...
I feel a sense of sorrow for the lives taken in this senseless act....
Atta boy Tana!! Making all JD fans proud! Take state!
My heart goes out to all those families of those who were killed in such a...
Jus' because the TDS can't hang with TCU, don't put that on the Utes! The...
The Utes will dominate this game!!!! GO UTES!!!!!!!
"This is absurd. People should be able to decide who they want to rent to." ...
I think that they should just put him in prison for life because we should...
actually a zone will allow even the 10 to 12 footer straight away usually...

