Editing Yellowstone Caldera (section)

===Volcanoes===
[[File:Yellowstone Caldera.svg|thumb|upright=1.7|Diagram of the Yellowstone Caldera]]
The Lava Creek eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera, which occurred 640,000 years ago,<ref>{{cite web| title = Undine Falls, Lava Creek, Yellowstone National Park| publisher = United States Geological Survey| url = http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/images/20010519-082_caption.html| access-date = January 2, 2009}}</ref> ejected approximately {{convert|1000|km3|mi3}} of rock, dust and [[volcanic ash]] into the atmosphere. It was Yellowstone's third and most recent caldera-forming eruption.

Geologists closely monitor the elevation of the [[Yellowstone Plateau]], which has been rising as quickly as {{convert|150|mm|in}} per year, as an indirect measurement of changes in magma chamber pressure.<ref>{{cite web |author=Timmer |first=John |date=November 8, 2007 |title=Yellowstone recharges |url=https://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2007/11/08/yellowstone-recharges |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=arstechnica.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |last1=Smith |first1=Robert B. |first2=Wu-Lung |last2=Chang |first3=Lee |last3=Siegel |title=Yellowstone rising: Volcano inflating with molten rock at record rate |publisher=University of Utah Public Relations |via=EurekAlert! (American Association for the Advancement of Science) |date=November 8, 2007 |url=http://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/uou-yr103007.php|url-access=<!--WP:URLACCESS--> }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chang |first1=W.-L. |last2=Smith |first2=R. B. |last3=Wicks |first3=C. |last4=Farrell |first4=J. M. |last5=Puskas |first5=C. M. |title=Accelerated Uplift and Magmatic Intrusion of the Yellowstone Caldera, 2004 to 2006 |journal=Science |date=November 9, 2007 |volume=318 |issue=5852 |pages=952–956 |doi=10.1126/science.1146842|pmid=17991858 |bibcode=2007Sci...318..952C |s2cid=22478071 }}</ref>

The upward movement of the Yellowstone caldera floor between 2004 and 2008—almost {{convert|75|mm|in}} each year—was more than three times greater than ever observed since such measurements began in 1923.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Molten Rock Fills Yellowstone Volcano at Record Rate |url=https://www.newswise.com/articles/molten-rock-fills-yellowstone-volcano-at-record-rate |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=newswise.com |language=en}}</ref> From 2004 to 2008, the land surface within the caldera moved upward as much as {{convert|8|in|cm}} at the White Lake GPS station.<ref>{{cite web| title = Recent ups and downs of the Yellowstone Caldera | work = [[Yellowstone Volcano Observatory]] | publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = September 28, 2008 | url = http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/publications/2007/upsanddowns.php | access-date = December 31, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Robert B. |last2=Jordan |first2=Michael |last3=Steinberger |first3=Bernhard |last4=Puskas |first4=Christine M. |last5=Farrell |first5=Jamie |last6=Waite |first6=Gregory P. |last7=Husen |first7=Stephan |last8=Chang |first8=Wu-Lung |last9=O'Connell |first9=Richard |date=November 20, 2009 |title=Geodynamics of the Yellowstone hotspot and mantle plume: Seismic and GPS imaging, kinematics and mantle flow |journal=Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research |volume=188 |issue=1–3 |pages=26–56 |doi=10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.08.020 |url=http://www.uusatrg.utah.edu/PAPERS/smith_jvgr2009complete.pdf |bibcode=2009JVGR..188...26S }}</ref> In January 2010, the USGS stated that "uplift of the Yellowstone Caldera has slowed significantly"<ref>[http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/yvostatus.php Current Alerts for U.S. Volcanoes]. volcano.wr.usgs.gov</ref> and that uplift continues but at a slower pace.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090405033306/http://pboweb.unavco.org/shared/scripts/stations/?checkkey=WLWY&sec=timeseries_plots&timeseries=raw GPS Station: WLWY – Data Products – Time Series Plots]. unavco.org</ref> USGS, University of Utah and National Park Service scientists with the [[Yellowstone Volcano Observatory]] maintain that they "see no evidence that another such cataclysmic eruption will occur at Yellowstone in the foreseeable future. Recurrence intervals of these events are neither regular nor predictable." This conclusion was reiterated in December 2013 in the aftermath of the publication of a study by University of Utah scientists finding that the "size of the magma body beneath Yellowstone is significantly larger than had been thought". The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory issued a statement on its website stating:
<blockquote>
Although fascinating, the new findings do not imply increased geologic hazards at Yellowstone, and certainly do not increase the chances of a "supereruption" in the near future. Contrary to some media reports, Yellowstone is not "overdue" for a supereruption.<ref>{{cite press release |date= December 19, 2013 |title= Monitoring Upgrades Result in New Insight into Yellowstone's Magma System |url= http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/yvo_news_archive.html |publisher= [[Yellowstone Volcano Observatory]] (USGS) |access-date= January 2, 2014 |archive-date= March 4, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093639/http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/yvo_news_archive.html |url-status= dead |url-access= <!--WP:URLACCESS--> }}</ref>
</blockquote>
Media reports were more hyperbolic in their coverage.<ref>{{cite web |last=Burnett |first=Jim |date=January 1, 2014 |title= Reactions To Yellowstone Supervolcano Study Ranged From Hysteria To Ho-Hum |url=http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2014/01/reactions-yellowstone-supervolcano-study-ranged-hysteria-ho-hum24449 |website=National Parks Traveller |access-date=January 2, 2014 }}</ref>

A study published in ''GSA Today'', the monthly news and science magazine of the [[Geological Society of America]], identified three fault zones where future eruptions are most likely to be centered.<ref name="NG">{{cite magazine |author=Lovett |first=Richard A. |date=September 20, 2012 |title=Yellowstone Supervolcano Discovery—Where Will It Erupt? |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/120920-yellowstone-supervolcano-prediction-volcanoes-science-environment |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628130602/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/120920-yellowstone-supervolcano-prediction-volcanoes-science-environment |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |magazine=National Geographic}}</ref> Two of those areas are associated with lava flows aged 174,000–70,000 years ago, and the third is a focus of present-day [[seismicity]].<ref name=NG />

In 2017, [[NASA]] conducted a study to determine the feasibility of preventing the volcano from erupting. The results suggested that cooling the magma chamber by 35 percent would be enough to forestall such an incident. NASA proposed introducing water at high pressure 10 kilometers underground. The circulating water would release heat at the surface, possibly in a way that could be used as a [[geothermal power]] source. If enacted, the plan would cost about $3.46 billion. Brian Wilcox of the [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] observes that such a project could incidentally trigger an eruption if the top of the chamber is drilled into.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170817-nasas-ambitious-plan-to-save-earth-from-a-supervolcano|title=Nasa's ambitious plan to save Earth from a supervolcano|first=David|last=Cox|publisher=BBC|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/no-nasa-isnt-going-to-drill-to-stop-yellowstone-from-erupting|title=No, NASA Isn't Going to Drill to Stop Yellowstone from Erupting|website=Discover Magazine|access-date=April 29, 2020}}</ref>

According to analysis of [[Seismic wave|earthquake data]] in 2013, the magma chamber is {{convert|80|km|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|20|km|abbr=on}} wide. It also has {{convert|4000|km3|abbr=on}} underground volume, of which 6–8% is filled with molten rock. This is about 2.5 times bigger than scientists had previously imagined; however, scientists believe that the proportion of molten rock in the chamber is too low to allow for another supereruption.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Witze |first1=Alexandra |year=2013 |title=Large magma reservoir gets bigger |journal=Nature |doi=10.1038/nature.2013.14036 |s2cid=130449188}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=USGS: Volcano Hazards Program – Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Featured Articles Archive |url=http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/yvo_news_archive.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093639/http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/yvo_news_archive.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Discovery of Ancient Super-eruptions Suggests the Yellowstone Hotspot May Be Waning (USGS Release Date: JUNE 29, 2020) |url=https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/discovery-ancient-super-eruptions-suggests-yellowstone-hotspot-may-be-waning?qt-news_science_products=4#qt-news_science_products |access-date=February 16, 2021}}</ref>

In October 2017, research from [[Arizona State University]] indicated prior to Yellowstone's last supereruption, magma surged into the magma chamber in two large influxes. An analysis of crystals from Yellowstone's lava showed that prior to the last supereruption, the magma chamber underwent a rapid increase in temperature and change in composition. The analysis indicated that Yellowstone's magma reservoir can reach eruptive capacity and trigger a super-eruption within just decades, not centuries as volcanologists had originally thought.<ref name="may erupt sooner">{{cite web |author=Aceves |first=Ana |date=October 12, 2017 |title=Yellowstone Supervolcano May Erupt Sooner Than Anticipated |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/yellowstone-supervolcano-may-erupt-sooner-than-anticipated/ |access-date=March 12, 2021 |publisher=PBS}}</ref><ref name="seek clues">{{cite web |author=Diebel |first=Matthew |date=October 16, 2017 |title=Scientists seek clues to what triggered past Yellowstone 'supervolcano' eruptions |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/10/12/yellowstone-supervolcano-research-finds-what-triggered-eruption/757337001/ |access-date=March 12, 2021 |work=USA Today}}</ref>