Yellowstone Supervolcano's Mass of Magma

To better understand and predict these eruptions researchers,including Dr. Jamie Farrell from the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Utah,have been studying the system using new technologies similar to a seismic CAT scan.

Their most recent discovery is a long-theorized massive magma chamber that they knew hadto be driving some of Yellowstone's activity. The new chamber is located 20 to 45 kilometres below the surface and is 46,000 cubic kilometres in volume, which makes it over fourtimes larger thanthe upper magma chamber. Although the picture of the plumbing of the supervolcano is now clearer, the study does not yet shed light on when the next eruption of Yellowstone will be.

Related Links

-Paper in Science
-University of Utah release
-Smithsonian Magazine story
- Discovery News story
- Discovermagazine story
-Washington Post story