Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
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The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) is a consortium of nine state and federal agencies who provide timely monitoring and hazard assessment of volcanic, hydrothermal, and earthquake activity in the Yellowstone Plateau region. The USGS arm of YVO is also responsible for monitoring and reporting on volcanic activity in the intermountain west U.S. states.
News
Arid southwest landscapes dotted with the bright lights of a …. lava fountain!?
Volcanoes in Iceland, Italy, and Guatemala have put on displays that are captivating audiences worldwide. But did you know that the same sort of activity could also occur in the southwestern United States?
The complex plumbing systems of Steamboat Geyser and Cistern Spring
Steamboat Geyser has been wowing visitors to Yellowstone National Park since March 2018. Seismic studies of the geyser and nearby Cistern Spring are now revealing details of the hydrothermal plumbing system that would not otherwise be known, possibly explaining why the geyser eruptions are the tallest in the world!
Preserving the legacy of geologic mapping in Yellowstone
Before the age of cheap computers, handheld GPS, and other innovations, geologic mapping was done with a compass, paper, and pencil. An effort is underway to digitally preserve and publish these valuable geologic maps, some of which depict Yellowstone thermal areas at a very fine scale!