Yellowstone Supervolcano Earthquake Swarm Hits More Than 1,200 Events

[dduncan4163]

http://www.newsweek.com/yellowstone-supervolcano-earthquake-swarm-hits-over-1200-events-639816

While increased seismic activity is usually a sign of volcanic eruption, Jamie Farrell, research professor at the university, told Newsweek in June that the ongoing event is unlikely to lead to an eruption as earthquake swarms are a common event in Yellowstone.
“When a volcano starts ‘acting up’ prior to an eruption, one of the typical signs is increased seismicity. However, it is usually just one of the signs of an impending eruption. Other signs include, large changes in surface deformation, changes to the hydrothermal system and changes in gas output. We monitor for all these things at Yellowstone," he said.
“Typically if we see just one of these things, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is an eruption coming. If we start to see changes in all these things, then a red flag may be raised,” he added.



Why I seriously doubt a super eruption is about to happen it's still a little concerning. A super eruption would be a world altering event.

 

[1chattyvols1]

World ending! Astroid type event if that Volcano blows and it's 600 K years over due!

 

[pismonque]

http://www.newsweek.com/yellowstone-supervolcano-earthquake-swarm-hits-over-1200-events-639816

While increased seismic activity is usually a sign of volcanic eruption, Jamie Farrell, research professor at the university, told Newsweek in June that the ongoing event is unlikely to lead to an eruption as earthquake swarms are a common event in Yellowstone.
“When a volcano starts ‘acting up’ prior to an eruption, one of the typical signs is increased seismicity. However, it is usually just one of the signs of an impending eruption. Other signs include, large changes in surface deformation, changes to the hydrothermal system and changes in gas output. We monitor for all these things at Yellowstone," he said.
“Typically if we see just one of these things, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is an eruption coming. If we start to see changes in all these things, then a red flag may be raised,” he added.



Why I seriously doubt a super eruption is about to happen it's still a little concerning. A super eruption would be a world altering event.

Somebody say "world altering event"?

 

[Obsessed]

I believe there was a 7.8 the other day between Alaska and Russia as well.

 

[UT-Rex]

World ending! Astroid type event if that Volcano blows and it's 600 K years over due!

You mean, like when the fountains of the great deep opened up during the Flood, about six-to-eight-thousand years ago? Except, the world didn't end.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

World ending! Astroid type event if that Volcano blows and it's 600 K years over due!

It's not 600K overdue. It's last "supervolcanic" eruption was 640k ago and before that 1.3 million, and before that 2.1 million. It has erupted 80+ times in less spectacular eruptions, since the last supervolcanic eruption...It is definitely on the clock however. Could be anytime in the next 100-200k years.

 

[MyBloodRunnethOrange]

Somebody say "world altering event"?

Indeed

 

[Grand Vol]

Could be anytime in the next 100-200k years.

So...I've got time for a nap before it happens?

 

[kayakonthefly]

So...I've got time for a nap before it happens?

And after for that matter.

 

[BenGrimm]

So...I've got time for a nap before it happens?

A nice long dirt nap apparently.

 

[LittleCat]

You mean, like when the fountains of the great deep opened up during the Flood, about six-to-eight-thousand years ago? Except, the world didn't end.

If you believe the story, then yes it basically did. Eight people on a boat out of the entire world surviving is pretty drastic.

 

[apevol]

If you believe the story, then yes it basically did. Eight people on a boat out of the entire world surviving is pretty drastic.

the population has never bottlenecked to anything remotely as low as 8 people

 

[volmanbill]

From the article....

Despite the activity, experts believe the earthquakes are unlikely to cause a supervolcano eruption—an event often mistakenly believed to be catastrophic;

 

[davethevol]

I wonder if something is getting ready to happen in TN. There have been several small quakes in the past couple of months. There was one today in Greenback, last week or so there was one in Grainger, and a few weeks prior there there was one around Leboir City. This area seems to be more active lately.

 

[LouderVol]

the population has never bottlenecked to anything remotely as low as 8 people

it would explain Kentucky, West Virginia and Alabama.

 

[volfanhill]

I wonder if something is getting ready to happen in TN. There have been several small quakes in the past couple of months. There was one today in Greenback, last week or so there was one in Grainger, and a few weeks prior there there was one around Leboir City. This area seems to be more active lately.

We are just more aware of them because of social media

 

[kayakonthefly]

I wonder if something is getting ready to happen in TN. There have been several small quakes in the past couple of months. There was one today in Greenback, last week or so there was one in Grainger, and a few weeks prior there there was one around Leboir City. This area seems to be more active lately.

New Madrid, we are all doomed.

On a more truthful note, it was a focus a year or two or three ago (crap runs together anymore) for the disaster preparedness people. Supposedly one of the biggest natural disaster threats for Tennessee.

 

[Coug]

New Madrid, we are all doomed.

On a more truthful note, it was a focus a year or two or three ago (crap runs together anymore) for the disaster preparedness people. Supposedly one of the biggest natural disaster threats for Tennessee.

Yeah, you're right. 2014 was the last time any significant talk took place over the Yellowstone Caldera.

 

[Coug]

I've always had the crazy thought of strategically venting the caldera with a nuke before it was allowed to erupt uncontrollably.

 

[jvol1]

It's the illuminati. Get ready for the "big one."

 

[zeppelin128]

I wonder if something is getting ready to happen in TN. There have been several small quakes in the past couple of months. There was one today in Greenback, last week or so there was one in Grainger, and a few weeks prior there there was one around Leboir City. This area seems to be more active lately.

We have them all the time in West Tennessee. We are just more aware of them because of better monitoring and reporting.

Of course if the big one ever hits again, we are all probably going to be dead over here. Nothing is even remotely close to earthquake code.

 

[Coug]

We have them all the time in West Tennessee. We are just more aware of them because of better monitoring and reporting.

Of course if the big one ever hits again, we are all probably going to be dead over here. Nothing is even remotely close to earthquake code.

I heard a long time ago that if they had a large enough earthquake near Memphis that it would most likely cause Mud Island to collapse into the Mississippi and could even cause the Mississippi to temporarily flow backwards. It happened in 1812.

 

[InVOLuntary]

I heard a long time ago that if they had a large enough earthquake near Memphis that it would most likely cause Mud Island to collapse into the Mississippi and could even cause the Mississippi to temporarily flow backwards. It happened in 1812.

Formed realfoot lake.

 

[Obsessed]

We have them all the time in West Tennessee. We are just more aware of them because of better monitoring and reporting.

Of course if the big one ever hits again, we are all probably going to be dead over here. Nothing is even remotely close to earthquake code.

You are in my neck of the woods?

Cool.

 

[Orangedogsrule]

That was the New Madrid (Great Midwest) Earthquake in December 1811 with more in Jan 1812.
It is the largest earthquake calculated to have occured east of the Rockies.

It toppled chimneys in Cincinatti.

It rang church bells in Charleston & Boston.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-great-midwest-earthquake-of-1811-46342/

This is the earthquake Nuclear plants east of the Rockies are designed to withstand.

The image below is of two earthquake 'spectra'. 6.1 vs 7.7 on the logarithmic Richter Scale. They show ground motion above and below zero over the time the earthquake occurs.
There are also Acceleration spectra available to show how fast the motion occurs. Is it a hard 'snap' or a 'slow roll'?

Earthquake size

http://eqseis.geosc.psu.edu/~cammon/HTML/Classes/IntroQuakes/Notes/earthquake_size.html

An earthquake around Yellowstone can take many forms.

What is happening is, as different earth structures rub up against each other, the compression builds until one can no longer hold and it crumbles. That's the quake. Depending on how strong each structure is and what kind, what composition solid rock or rock and sand, etc- determines how much it can take before release and then the quake. Many small quakes over time may be a good thing. Each one releases built up stress. Hopefully we don't have the proverbial immovable object being approached by an (almost) indestructable one underground.