Check out the recent earthquake activity in Yellowstone

[elifino]

Upper middle of lake, several 2.5 to >3 shallow quakes. Use Google Earth.
Link http://www.seis.utah.edu/req2webdir/recenteqs/Maps/Yellowstone.html

[eShirl]

1. rut roh...

isn't there some kind of super-volcano waiting to re-happen there?

[elifino]

2. Yes and looks like the magma is on the move

[dipsydoodle]

3. That sucker is big enough to affect the entire planet

and that's aside from the fact that much of the USA may cease to exist as a populated area if it really did blow bigtime. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/1999/supervolcanoes.shtml

[eShirl]

7. :-o

Tom Lehrer - We Will All Go Together When We Go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frAEmhqdLFs

[dipsydoodle]

46. I know most of his songs

almost by heart. It's an age thing .........:rofl:

[shadowknows69]

26. Yeah, that would pretty much be it for us.

[Th1onein]

47. It's called a caldera and it will destroy all life on Earth.

No joke.

[Divine Discontent]

61. you're scaring the cats.... stop! lol eom

[Divine Discontent]

4. um... K&R... wow... just 17 hours worth of activity & FIVE 3+ richter quakes!

3.2 2008/12/28 02:23:57 44.505N 110.363W 0.4 61 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.2 2008/12/28 00:15:19 44.487N 110.358W 0.4 62 km (39 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.1 2008/12/27 23:37:20 44.491N 110.383W 0.2 60 km (37 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.4 2008/12/27 22:23:54 44.490N 110.360W 1.9 62 km (39 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
3.8 2008/12/27 22:15:56 44.492N 110.365W 0.2 62 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.6 2008/12/27 17:08:50 44.493N 110.354W 0.4 62 km (39 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
3.2 2008/12/27 15:30:03 44.495N 110.367W 0.2 61 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
3.4 2008/12/27 13:26:27 44.488N 110.365W 0.3 62 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
3.5 2008/12/27 13:17:32 44.481N 110.362W 0.7 62 km (39 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.3 2008/12/27 11:56:35 44.484N 110.367W 0.5 62 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.8 2008/12/27 11:23:07 44.490N 110.369W 0.1 61 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.5 2008/12/27 10:01:07 44.484N 110.367W 0.2 62 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
2.6 2008/12/27 09:30:53 44.497N 110.368W 0.4 61 km (38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT

[elifino]

6. Thanks for the K&R and the additonal info

That is my first K&R,many thanks

elifino

[Divine Discontent]

9. Glad to be the first to do so for you ever. Thanks for contributing to DU

:)

[Baby Snooks]

11. And between the 17th and the 23rd...

http://www.seis.utah.edu/data/fingerplan

The magnitude of the earthquakes is increasing. The magma "rises and falls" and in the process causes the quakes and there are distinct "active" and "dormant" phases involved from what I've read. So it may go back to a dormant phase. Or it may not. The problem is the caldera itself is enormous. There could be a rise in one section that no one noticed which would be the rise that indicated a massive eruption was about to occur. They have worried mostly about the section under the lake because of not only the "rise" but the increased temperatures.

The last eruption buried everything west of the Mississippi under several feet of ash. Why we have such rich farmland in the Midwest. But it was more than just the ash. It was several feet of lava as well. I don't know that they have ever determined the boundaries of the lava flow. Except obviously it was enormous.

For those around for the next eruption, there will be a "whole lot of shaking going on" all around the North American continent, setting off other earthquakes along major faults and it will be quite a light show which everyone on the North American continent will see if it erupts at night. And depending on how close you are, it might be the last thing you see. Only two events have come close to what it might be like. The eruption of Krakatoa and the Indonesian tsunami. Both were minor events to a super caldera erupting. There are several of them. Yellowstone is the one they worry about most.

With all the political upheaval in the world and this threat which few realized was a threat until recently, you do wonder about all the "end of the world" predictions. Particularly the Mayan myth about the return of Quetzalcoatl in 2012. He returns in a fiery sky is how I believe the myth describes it. Could be a nuclear war. Could be Yellowstone.

Of course in 3008 everyone may be wondering about another prediction. And still be waiting for Yellowstone to erupt.

In any case, Yellowstone is no longer a vacation spot for many who would prefer not to be too close just in case.

[Divine Discontent]

13. thank you

so you think I'm toast if Yellowstone happens, and I'm on the Pac coast in CA?

[Baby Snooks]

18. See Spiral Hawk's post below...

That "medicine wheel" probably pretty much defines where the greatest devastation will occur. The last eruption was 640,000 years ago so you can't really tell by the geography although most likely many of the canyons and "flatlands" in the Rocky Mountains were the result of that last eruption. And it's interesting how so many of these sacred sites form a wheel around the Four Grandmothers in Teton National Park to the southwest of Yellowstone and may have been part of the original caldera. Or perhaps what remains of "ground zero" when it erupted.

There are lots of unanswered questions about the caldera. Including its actual boundaries. Part of it may lie deep beneath the mountain ranges as well as underneath Yellowstone National Park. It may stretch further than anyone realizes. The size of it is what is so frightening to think about.

It probably doesn't matter where you live. The last eruption plunged the entire planet into a perpetual winter that lasted for centuries. Probably only a few thousand humans survived it.

[alfredo]

29. Central Arkansas could be at risk of a huge quake. It could be

what they call a "hydrothermal quake." If that is the case, then there shouldn't be a serious threat. Could those quakes at YS be the same?

[Divine Discontent]

59. thanks. eom

[1monster]

51. I'm on the east coast of Florida, and I'm toast or drowned whichever comes first.

If Yellowstone goes, the sky really is falling and we are all doomed!

Right now, though, I have to do laundry. If I'm gonna go to the great beyond, it going to be in clean clothes. :D

[Divine Discontent]

58. ha!

I was in port canav. before coming out to cali. yeah, you're right, we're gonna be in a world of hurt if Yellowstone blows.

[Chulanowa]

16. About the Maya thing...

The Long Count calendar doesn't predict the end of the world, any more than the end of our calender does. All that happens at the end of the Long Count is that you start counting from 1 again.

Quetzalcoatl is a mexica figure, not Maya, and his "return" and the Mexica's belief in it was a creation of the Spaniards, first to justify their conquest of the Aztec empire to their leaders (The Spanish Royalty wanted contact, not conquest - but since the Spaniards were "Welcomed as gods"... ). Some years later, Quetzalcoatl was re-invented as a white, bearded, crucified Christ Figure who returns from the east - thus serving as both justification for European rule and as a syncretic form of converting the locals.

As for Yellowstone? Honestly if we're all going to die from the thing blowing up, I'd rather live right next door and be vaporized, than slowly smother in ash.

[Baby Snooks]

21. Actually he was part of the Mayan pantheon...

http://weber.ucsd.edu/~anthclub/quetzalcoatl/maya.htm

The god Quetzlcoatl was actually a common god among the various Indian tribes in the Central American region and was worshipped long before the Spaniards arrived. By any other name, a god is a god.

As for the long count there are varying interpretations of its meaning. I guess we will find out in 2012.

[SpiralHawk]

17. I beleive Quetzalcoatl is an Azteca/Mexica term...and that the Mayans

speak of Ku'Kulkan...who is sybolically represented at El Castillo in Chichen Itza...

[InvisibleTouch]

74. Quetzalcoatl was known by similar names...

...among the Aztecs, Mayans, etc. This is the Plumed Serpent depicted in numerous ancient cultures, not all of them found in Central America. Basically it's the same deity with slight variations, like Zues and Jupiter.

As to the Mayan calendar, it predicts "the end of time," not the end of the world. There's a difference. :)

Yellowstone is definitely an area to keep an eye on. Though if it does blow, there's not really anything to be done about it. Cosmic reset button, a bit like an asteroid impact.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

43. This Does Appear Worrisome

Thanks for posting this, elifino. I LOVE to read about geological stuff.

Scientists believe that they would be able to give a decently advance warning (though how advance it would be is debatable), but I wonder how much warning the USGS really can give of an impending eruption at Yellowstone. It is difficult to know because there is no information on premonitory warnings (earthquakes, changes in geyser activity, etc.)before the last eruption--maybe there were a lot of warnings long before the event, maybe warnings happened only a short time before that eruption, and maybe there was no warning. We really don't know (I doubt it happened without any warning, though, since the possibility of a volcano erupting can be ascertained before the event). We just don't have the data to see if there is a pattern to previous Yellowstone eruptions as regards premonitory warnings of the events.

I do know that the Yellowstone caldera seems to have periods where magma is rising towards the surface, alternating with periods when there is ground subsidence--as if the caldera was "breathing". IMO, this pattern makes it difficult to ascertain whether or not the caldera is building towards an eruption or if it is just business as usual.

I can see how there would be a lot of shaking going on because the US is riddled with lots of old faults that haven't been discovered yet. Some may be completely dead, some may be merely dormant and some may be active, but since they haven't been found, we don't know when they were last active--for all we know, they were last active before Europeans entered North America, but that only means they're dormant.

I agree, Baby Snooks. There are many unanswered questions about the Yellowstone. So far, I haven't heard that the actual boundaries of the caldera have been found. I also agree that the caldera may stretch farther than anyone realises and yes, it's size makes it extremely frightening to think about. The potential for devastation is huge even if the caldera's measurements are correct. It is even greater if it turns out to be far larger than it is.

I'm with you,Chulanowa. I think that it is better to be vaporised and to get it over with than to die a slow death smothered in ash. Being vaporised is merciful compared to the alternative. From what I have read, Marie's Disease (a lung condition caused by inhaling ash) is a horrible way to go. Years ago, a scientist found a mass grave of animals in Nebraska and all of them had strange bone growth (another symptom of Marie's Disease). It is believed that the animals died of breathing the ash from Bruno Jarbridge, a super volcano near the Snake River Plain which marks the path of the Yellowstone Hot Spot. All in all, I think that I'd rather pass on that experience.

As for the Mayan Calendar, I suspect that the calendar will simply click over and a new count will begin.

[Richard D]

44. This is the USGS

Red Alert Yellowstone Caldera Eruption Eminent.

Immediately bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.

That is all for now.

[elifino]

45. Thanks, me too, first thing I do every morning is check to see whats shaking

[Dover]

63. Did Edgar Cayce mention this caldera in his visions?...n/t

[eowyn_of_rohan]

5. I saw this yesterday, but at that time there had only been one >3

Troubling. Another weird thing was yesterday three 4+ earthquakes were listed for Utah, but none of them were shown on the map... now none of them are listed either.

[Divine Discontent]

10. yeah, the last 7 days don't show that

just some 1-2's in UT.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/

A noticeable shake in Lancaster PA is interesting. Of course, so many in MT is the most interesting. Hope it calms down soon, otherwise I wouldn't be surprised to see a 6 hit. We had a 2.4 or so literally right below me somewhere in the ground a couple months ago - freaked me out - it felt like someone shook the house one quick burst and no additional shaking - sorta like a fridge falling over when you're sitting about 10 feet away. (cali)

[eowyn_of_rohan]

14. It was weird - the list showed a 4.5 and 2 others over 4 in Utah within the past few days

The Utah map just showed the micros. I wondered if it could have been from "drilling" in the area - are they drilling yet? There were no "did you feel it?" reports for them - you'd think a 4.5 would get some responses. Maybe these 3 earthquakes (in southern Utah with specific times and locations ID'd) were listed in error? I checked the list later and only one was still on it. Later that was taken off too. Wish I would have copied the info.

We've spent a lot of time in areas that have regular micro earthquakes, but I've never felt one. It would freak me out too! Are you in southern Cal? We were in the Palm Springs/Salton Sea vicinity a couple years ago, and my dog was very uneasy, and didn't like to go for walks - never seen him act that way anywhere else. I figured he must have sensed some underground activity.

[Sedona]

36. I got these two reports yesterday--WEIRD

FIRST
--------------
== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==



Region: UTAH
Geographic coordinates: 39.853N, 112.514W
Magnitude: 4.5 Mcd
Depth: 7 km
Universal Time (UTC): 27 Dec 2008 09:18:25
Time near the Epicenter: 27 Dec 2008 02:18:25
Local standard time in your area: 27 Dec 2008 09:18:25

Location with respect to nearby cities:
28 km (17 miles) S (191 degrees) of Vernon, UT
36 km (22 miles) WSW (252 degrees) of Eureka, UT
39 km (24 miles) NNW (343 degrees) of Lynndyl, UT
85 km (53 miles) WSW (239 degrees) of Provo, UT
113 km (70 miles) SSW (208 degrees) of Salt Lake City, UT


ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
________________________________
event ID : UU 00002303

This is a computer-generated message and has not yet been reviewed by a
seismologist.
For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/uu00002303.php
or
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/

University of Utah Seismograph Stations
University of Utah

http://www.seis.utah.edu





SECOND

DELETED: Event UU 00002303

== EVENT DELETED NOTIFICATION ==




***This event has been deleted after review by a seismologist.***

Geographic coordinates: 39.853N, 112.514W
Magnitude: 4.5
Universal Time (UTC): 27 Dec 2008 09:18:25
Time near the Epicenter: 27 Dec 2008 02:18:25

Location with respect to nearby cities:
28 km (17 miles) S (191 degrees) of Vernon, UT
36 km (22 miles) WSW (252 degrees) of Eureka, UT
39 km (24 miles) NNW (343 degrees) of Lynndyl, UT
85 km (53 miles) WSW (239 degrees) of Provo, UT
113 km (70 miles) SSW (208 degrees) of Salt Lake City, UT


DISCLAIMER: https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/help.html?page=help#disclaimer

This is an update to a previous notification for this event

[Sedona]

37. Upper Geyser Basin streaming web cam

http://www.nps.gov/PWR/customcf/apps/stream/stream.htm?parkcode=yell

Other Yellowstone web cams here

http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm

Nice to know there are other Yellowstone enthusiasts here

[eowyn_of_rohan]

39. AHA! I am so glad you got this !

I wonder what the reason was for deleting them. Or what reason we would be given...
weird indeed
THANKS

The seismograms for yesterday, Dec 27, 2008, show the activity in this order:
(my estimation)
Started first:
22:017
Black Mtn

22:019-
Antelope Island
Grizzly Peak
Hansel Valley - BIG

22:021 -
Camp Tracy

22:025 - appx
San Rafael Swell -BIG
Marysville
near Snow College
Trail Mtn
Des Bee Dove - (Mines)
Emma Park
Fish Spring Mtn
Maple Canyon

22:026-
Old Woman Plateau

[Sedona]

41. Just sent this off to USGS

Subject: Deleted Utah Event Yesterday
Message: Hello,
Can you tell me why the 4.5 Mcd event in Utah Geographic coordinates: 39.853N, 112.514W (UTC): 27 Dec 2008 09:18:25 was deleted?

Thanks.

You can too here

http://www.usgs.gov/ask/

[elifino]

22. UUSS Webicorder (Seismogram) Displays, Yellowstone Region

LKWY_SHZ_US ( Lake, Yellowstone Park, WY )

Link

[eowyn_of_rohan]

33. UUSS Webicorder (Seismogram) Displays, Utah

Dec. 27, 2008 earthquakes in Utah

If I am reading this correctly, all occurred just after 22:00 MST Dec 27. I don't know the strength but it looked quite strong in some areas -eg San Rafael Swell and Marysville -strong enough to be a 4+?

Hansel Valley - north of SLC
Black Mountain- west of SLC
Grizzly Peak - north
North Antelope Island - in great Salt Lake
Camp Tracy -constant activity
Des Bee Dove - mines - constant
Trail Mountain - south of SLC -
San Rafael Swell - near Trail Mtn, south of HWY 70 - mining
Kanab - far SW UT

http://www.quake.utah.edu/helicorder/heli/utah/index.html

(All the microquakes showing on the Utah map took place on Dec 23. Why are these larger ones not shown for yesterday???)

[earth mom]

8. Yikes.

:scared:

[SpiralHawk]

12. Time for another Massive Medicine Wheel ceremony?

"While dwelling amid the high mountains along the North American Continental Divide, Bennie LeBeau of the Eastern Shoshone tribe experienced a torrent of dreams and visions, especially in 1999. The visions directed him to set in motion the plans for a massive Medicine Wheel Ceremony.

"Over the last year Bennie, a Vietnam Veteran, has become aware of many sharply distressing changes in both land and animals at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. These changes are becoming even more ominous right now, he says, and they have prodded him into direct action to bring his healing visions alive..."

(snip) http://www.chiron-communications.com/communique%209-2.html

[Divine Discontent]

15. I was given a vision of mass disasters hitting FL in aug 04 about 6 mo. before it happened

and 4 major hurricanes hit that month. In late 06 I saw major animal death occurring after praying, and I've seen those reports that showed like a 1/3 of all animal is nearing endangered status and 2/3 of animal life is decreasing.

I'm not sure what is going on, but we all know this world is due for some seismic activity that will shake our very foundation. I don't believe it will wipe us out - but it may very well do a seriously shocking amount of damage. Praying not! Thanks for the link.

[SpiralHawk]

19. What are you seeing for Yellowstone?

PBS broadcast a one-hour documentary on this a couple of years back...A Geological Doomsday... http://digg.com/educational/Yellowstone_Super_Volcano_A_Geological_Doomsday

[Pale Blue Dot]

20. You predicted mass disasters hitting Florida six months before hurricane season?

Wow. Pretty amazing stuff. Funny how in 06 you saw "major animal death" rather than mass disaster hitting New Orleans. Hmmm....

[Glorfindel]

23. "Mass disaster" (Hurricane Katrina) hit New Orleans in '05

Dreaming about that is, I suspect, quite common.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

34. People DO Have Premonitions...

My DH had a premonition of the WTC collapsing before it happened, that morning before the Towers were even struck--about 5 hours before. I know something like this sticks in some people's craw, but who knows? Maybe those who have premonitions are more tied into the cosmos than the rest of us.

[Divine Discontent]

57. exc. point - for whatever reason, people are tied to seeing an event.

I didn't say in my first comment, but I also saw my brother in much need along with the horrible disaster I felt coming to FL (I wasn't there when I had the premonition), and my brother got MS within 1 week after the 4 major hurricanes and I cared for him for the next 4 years - I came back a few months before the vision I saw, because of the vision. I am amazed at your DH having the WTC premonition. Wow... At 3am I saw Jerry Falwell dying soon, and he died that morning - that's pretty much everything I've seen, besides one other thing, but that's a more personal, and non-major event vision.

[comrade snarky]

69. The problem is

The only time I hear about them is after the fact.
Maybe they have a better connection to the cosmos or maybe they have such a deep seated need to believe they are special that they make crap up that even they cant tell from reality anymore. I'm not saying this is the case with you or your friends but I have known folks exactly like that.

Give me something, a DU post with a time date stamp of Sept 10th 2001 would go a long way.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

25. Not so odd

For most who have them, premonitions come randomly and occasionally. I used to have them frequently, mostly over small things.

[Hanse]

55. It's true.

Right now I'm having a premonition that hurricanes are going to his the south next year during hurricane season. And there'll be a number of tornadoes striking tornado alley during tornado season.

My premonitions are very good.

[Divine Discontent]

60. you're clearly nowhere near the South - there's not major damage every year in FL from hurricanes

if there was, there would be 10% of the population deciding to stay there. before 2004's major attack of 4 huge hurricanes that you apparently remember, there wasn't much going on in previous decades, just a huge hurricane once every few years. It also calmed down in FL since the 04 season, we did get lots of floods from a few storms last year, but no major killer storms like 04's, just so you understand wherever you're at, b/c you're not in the South.

[Divine Discontent]

56. there isn't mass disaster every year in FL genius

you must not be there, there may be a hurricane that does a little damage but that was first year of massive hurricane damage that had happened, and you obviously don't realize how bad 04 it was in Aug. secondly, humans are animals. thirdly - do you think people with gifts see EVERY single thing that ever occurs? you see what you're shown. Obviously, you're not shown anything or you'd understand that, ha.

[Pale Blue Dot]

65. ...

:rofl:

[zeemike]

24. Thanks for linking that site.

Lots of interesting things there.
But I didn't find out how the Tibetan monks that met with the elders of the Native American tribes in New Mexico fit in to this.
but i am absolutely sure that they understood the concept of the medicine wheel.

[SpiralHawk]

28. Prayer Wheels of one form or another are common, and also part of Tibetan practice

[zeemike]

31. Yes I knew that but I was wondering what part they played in this

sense they no longer have access to their holy sites.

[Book Lover]

53. self delete

read the link you provided. thanks!

[Historic NY]

27. A 3.4 one in Pa. yesterday too near Lancaster.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/ld1023196.php

[alfredo]

30. Global Earthquake Explorer. Monitor activity in real time.

http://www.seis.sc.edu/gee/

It's free and works on many platforms.

[tekisui]

32. I'll be watching this.

Thanks for posting.

[ensho]

35. kick

nt

[Individualist]

38. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory report -

Swarms of this nature are relatively common in this part of Yellowstone Park.

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/

[eowyn_of_rohan]

40. i haven't seen activity like this in Yellowstone Lake

since I started monitoring - not to say it hasn't happened, since I don't monitor it regularly.

[Brazenly Liberal]

52. My son used to live and work in Yellowstone

These quake clusters actually are common enough not to be cause for particular concern.

[dgibby]

42. 3.6 quake

There was a 3.6 quake in Summerville,SC (near Charleston) on 16Dec08. Minor damage was reported, ie, stuff falling off walls,etc. We're on a very large fault that runs up the eastern seaboard. The last major quake devastated Charleston (in the 1860's I think).

[Wednesdays]

70. There was a big quake in Charleston in 1886

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_earthquake

[WyoHiker]

48. The cats are calm

Then again, we're a fair bit to the south -- just not far enough to matter if it ever blew.

Maybe this afternoon, I'll head up-country and check and see if any of the horses are freakin.'


(There is a bright side. VP Cheney's home, near Jackson Hole, is much closer.)

[illuminaughty]

81. Yes, but that bastard will be in an "undisclosed" location when it happens

welcome to DU!

[Lucian]

49. A swarm of earthquakes are common in that part of Yellowstone.

Per Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (emphasis mine): http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/

The University of Utah Seismograph Stations reports that a swarm of small earthquakes of magnitude 3.5 and smaller is occurring beneath Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, five to nine miles south-southeast of Fishing Bridge, Wyoming. The swarm began yesterday afternoon, Dec. 26, and has continued and intensified today. The two largest earthquakes in this swarm have been shocks of magnitude 3.5 and 3.4 which occurred at 1:17 and 1:26 pm MST, respectively, today. Many smaller earthquakes have also occurred, including three events this morning of magnitude 2.5 to 2.8 and a magnitude 3.2 event at 3:30 pm MST. Some of the earthquakes in the swarm have been reported felt by people in the Yellowstone Lake area. Swarms of this nature are relatively common in this part of Yellowstone Park.

[Baby Snooks]

62. True...

The problem is that during a swarm the magnitude of the individual quakes may begin to change and no one may notice it. And then an hour later, or a day later, or even a week later, the caldera will erupt.

You can get hit by a car crossing the street. No matter how careful you are. Fate.

Just the same Yellowstone is not on my list of places to be. Commmon or not the past several years there have been some things that are not common which indicate the caldera is in an active stage. It may return to a dormant stage. Or it may erupt. It is not an ordinary volcano. It really isn't even a volcano in the typical sense. It is an enormous caldera the likes of which none of us have ever seen if it ever does erupt. People used to marvel at the geysers. Occasionally marvel at how hot the earth was in sections of the park. Few knew there were millions and millions of tons of molten lava beneath their feet. Some still don't.

[1monster]

50. Isn't Yellowstone at the epicenter of an earthquake/fault super cell area?

If I remember correctly from some Discover Channel documentary, when the Yellowstone super cell blows, so goes the world.

Or, as they used to tell us the correct procedure for a nuclear attack in in the seventies:

"Sit down, put your head between your knees, and kiss your ass goodbye."

[Jazzgirl]

54. I have a little application plugin in Firefox that

keeps up with all the earthquakes everywhere. When one occurs the browser actually shakes. The strength of the shake gives you an idea on how strong the quake was. You can go to Google Earth or maps and look and see where the earthquake occurs. I've been noticing a lot of 2.* and 3.* earthquakes at Yellowstone the last couple of days and have been wondering what was going on. Thanks for posting.

[Sandrine for you]

64. I'm too young to die !!!

[Creideiki]

66. When the grad students start running

then it's time to panic.

[carlyhippy]

67. oh, wonderful......

I am right in the line of fire

Carly

[Toasterlad]

68. I Read About the Yellowstone Super-Volcano in Bill Bryson's Book

"A Short History of Nearly Everything". Scared the crap out of me. I don't know whether reading a more scientific study would assuage my fear or increase it.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

71. Starting up again... 12/29

a 3.3 and 2 others in the last hour

[eowyn_of_rohan]

72. 38 earthquakes in Yellowstone Lake so far today - 12/29/08

[seemslikeadream]

73. 250

:hi:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=228&topic_id=47850&mesg_id=47850

[eowyn_of_rohan]

75. What do you mean 250?

slad-hi! :) is that the grand total from the past 3 days or did it go bonkers since I posted the last one?

[seemslikeadream]

76. than 250 small earthquakes that have occurred in Yellowstone National Park since Friday

:wow:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hklq5saMBlMynv31EbfNSka-SpOwD95CL4J80

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Scientists are closely monitoring more than 250 small earthquakes that have occurred in Yellowstone National Park since Friday. Swarms of small earthquakes happen frequently in Yellowstone. But Robert Smith, a professor of geophysics at the University of Utah, says it's very unusual to have so many over several days.

The largest tremor was Saturday and measured magnitude 3.8.

Smith says it's hard to say what might be causing the tremors but notes that Yellowstone is very geologically active. An active volcano there last erupted 70,000 years ago.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

77. yikes

they don't show that many on the list. Hey slad- do you think it's odd that there were three 4+ earthquakes (inc a 4.5) listed for Utah on the 27th but they weren't shown on the map, then they removed them from the list? See posts 22 and 14 if you didn't know about this. It bugs me ... esp considering they have opened up new areas there for mining.

[originalpckelly]

82. Oh shit.

The AP? HOLY FUCKING CRAP! That's no nutcase theory, that's the AP.

[illuminaughty]

78. I saw that there were seven in one day n/t

[originalpckelly]

79. According to the USGS website, the lake has been rising in recent years...

at an accelerated pace.

:scared:

Thanks DU! Now I'm convinced I'm going to die by Yellowstone, living not too far in Colorado.

[ecstatic]

80. Oh noez... Obama brought the rapture :( nt

[eowyn_of_rohan]

83. New Year's Eve - Yellowstone Lake "flurry" continues with 3 above 3.0

MAG UTC DATE-TIME y/m/d h:m:s LAT deg LON deg DEPTH km LOCATION
MAP 1.5 2008/12/31 15:05:00 44.514 -110.360 1.1 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 3.3 2008/12/31 15:02:11 44.523 -110.361 4.9 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 2.0 2008/12/31 11:06:15 44.533 -110.368 1.2 60 km ( 37 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 2.6 2008/12/31 09:05:59 44.520 -110.368 0.5 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 3.6 2008/12/31 09:02:28 44.525 -110.362 4.3 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 1.2 2008/12/31 09:00:19 44.518 -110.366 1.9 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 2.5 2008/12/31 08:59:21 44.522 -110.362 0.5 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 3.0 2008/12/31 08:58:11 44.527 -110.369 1.3 60 km ( 37 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 1.0 2008/12/31 06:19:28 44.528 -110.378 1.0 60 km ( 37 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 1.5 2008/12/31 06:02:54 44.529 -110.358 2.0 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 1.6 2008/12/31 05:59:03 44.531 -110.355 2.0 61 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 1.1 2008/12/31 05:58:39 44.528 -110.377 2.0 60 km ( 37 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 1.1 2008/12/31 05:24:55 44.543 -110.344 0.1 62 km ( 38 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT
MAP 2.8 2008/12/31 05:06:40 44.529 -110.382 1.6 59 km ( 37 mi) ESE of West Yellowstone, MT