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Scientists discover ominous sign that Yellowstone's supervolcano is building up to an eruption

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Scientists have discovered an ominous sign which could hint that Yellowstone's supervolcano is building up to an eruption. Using machine learning, researchers found there have been over 86,000 hidden earthquakes between 2008 and 2022. That is 10 times more tremors than scientists had previously detected. Worryingly, more than half of those earthquakes came in swarms - small groups of interconnected tremors - which have been known to precede volcanic activity. The researchers say these'chaotic' swarms were found moving along rough, young fault lines running deep below the Yellowstone Caldera. These clusters of seismic activity are likely caused by hot, mineral-rich water forcing itself through cracks in the rock.


Scientists warn they have no accurate way to predict when supervolcano explosions could occur

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Volcanologists can predict when volcanos are going to erupt if they have a full detail of its eruptions. But for potentially apocalyptic supervolcanoes, such as the one bubbling under Yellowstone National Park, it's nearly impossible, given how varied their known eruptions have been, according to a new study. Researchers at Cardiff University noted there is not a'single model' that can help scientists understand how eruptions from supervolcanoes happen, making it difficult to understand when they might occur in the future. The researchers looked at geochemical and petrological evidence of 13 supereruptions that have happened over the past 2 million years, including the most recent one, Taupō volcano in New Zealand, which happened more than 24,000 years ago. Experts said there is not a'single model' that can help them understand how eruptions from supervolcanoes happen There was no'single, unified mode' that showed how each of the 13 played out, with some starting gradually over a period of weeks to months, while others exploded suddenly and violently. The researchers also found that the eruptions lasted for varying times, some as short as a period of days or weeks, while others lasted decades.


The Yellowstone supervolcano has two magma chambers, say scientists

Daily Mail - Science & tech

A detailed map of the bubbling magma below the Yellowstone supervolcano could help experts reveal when the next deadly eruption may happen. The monstrous volcano - which last erupted around 640,000 years ago - has dual magma chambers. Now, a new computer model has revealed a'transition zone' that may control the movement of magma in these chambers. The new research doesn't currently reveal when the next eruption might happen, but it could help scientists put together predictions in the future. The mammoth volcano blows roughly every 600,000 to 700,000 years, meaning an eruption could be imminent.