Scientists have made new discoveries about the potential for an eruption at Yellowstone National Park. A study on the park’s largest volcanic system, the Yellowstone Caldera, used a method called magnetotellurics to track the electric conductivity of magma. The research found that there is not much magma currently beneath the caldera, with only small reservoirs scattered throughout the park.
The study suggests that none of these reservoirs are capable of producing an eruption anytime soon. In fact, it’s estimated that the northeast region of Yellowstone won’t expect to erupt again for hundreds of thousands of years. The researchers also found that a heat source in the northeast region keeps the shallower reservoirs of magma active.
This heat source is connected to the largest region of magma storage, making it likely that the next eruption will occur there. Scientists have been studying the park’s volcanic activity for years, and this new research provides valuable insights into when – or if – the supervolcano might erupt again.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/study-estimates-yellowstone-national-parks-235028996.html