New volcanic vent discovery raises questions about Yellowstone's activity
Yellowstone Park is a natural wonder known for its active supervolcano. A new volcanic vent was recently discovered there, emitting water vapour. The crater is located in the Roadside Springs region, where a large hydrothermal area lies beneath the surface, which, according to research, has formed recently.
Most of us have probably heard about potential eruption scenarios concerning the object located in Yellowstone. In this national park, there is the Old Faithful geyser, under which lies an active supervolcano. Recently, scientists discovered a new volcanic vent emitting water vapour. This discovery was made in August 2024 when a characteristic steam cloud was noticed.
New discovery in Roadside Springs. Is the volcano becoming active?
The vent is located in the Roadside Springs region, where a large hydrothermal area is located beneath the surface. The temperature of the new vent is 77 degrees Celsius, and its surface is covered with a thin layer of grey siliceous clay. This indicates that the vent is new, although it does not necessarily mean new hydrothermal activity.
A similar phenomenon was observed on March 10, 2003, on the other side of the same rhyolite lava flow, west of Nymph Lake. That hydrothermal activity continues to this day, though it is less intense. Both regions may be connected by an underground reservoir and a fault line running from Norris Geyser Basin to Mammoth Hot Springs.
Yellowstone is a natural wonder that must be closely observed
The new vent initially emitted a thick cloud of steam, which gradually decreased over time. Scientists plan to continue monitoring this phenomenon to understand the changes in the region and the mechanism behind their formation. Yellowstone constantly surprises researchers. The national park is a site of volcanic activity but also dynamic transformations, where we can find, among other things, microorganisms that can adapt to the most extreme conditions.
Geological phenomena such as earthquakes and explosions are commonplace in this area, so the emergence of a new vent did not surprise scientists, who believe that the massive magma reservoir beneath the region is in motion.
