[Geysers] Geotimes Article: Yellowstone's Moving Magma

[sgryc at comcast.net]

There’s an interesting but brief article in the May issue of Geotimes that includes a great image of ground deformation on the north rim of the Yellowstone caldera.  The graphic was compiled from satellite images.  Charles Wicks of the USGS suggests that the ground deformation is due to movement of magma up and out of the caldera through a “valve-like system” that is turned on and off through tectonic activity.  When the valve is closed magma builds up at the rim and causes uplift just south of Norris Geyser Basin.  When the valve is opened the magma spreads out under Norris and heats it up.  That’s the hypothesis, though Wicks isn’t completely convinced of it yet.  The article is a summary of a paper published by Wicks and his team in the March 2 issue of Nature.  The article should be archived soon (it isn't yet) at the Geotimes website (www.geotimes.org).

Here I sit in Connecticut reading articles as Giant intervals get progressively longer.  Drat.

Steve Gryc