New volcanic vent raises questions about Yellowstone's activity
Yellowstone Park is a remarkable natural wonder renowned for its active supervolcano. A new volcanic vent emitting water vapour has recently been discovered there. The vent is located in the Roadside Springs region, an area underlain by a large hydrothermal field that research suggests has recently formed.
We have all likely heard about the potential eruption scenarios of the feature located in Yellowstone. Within this national park lies the Old Faithful geyser, beneath which rests an active supervolcano. Recently, scientists identified a new volcanic vent emitting water vapour. This discovery occurred in August 2024 when a distinctive steam cloud was observed.
New discovery in Roadside Springs. Is the volcano becoming active?
The vent is situated in the Roadside Springs region, with a vast hydrothermal area below the surface. The new vent's temperature 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 indicate new hydrothermal activity.
A similar phenomenon was observed on 10 March 2003 on the opposite side of the same rhyolite lava flow, west of Nymph Lake. That hydrothermal activity continues to this day, though it is now 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 released a dense cloud of steam, which gradually diminished over time. Scientists plan to continue monitoring this phenomenon to understand more about the changes in the region and the mechanisms behind their formation. Yellowstone constantly surprises researchers. The National Park is a site of volcanic activity but also of dynamic transformations, where, among other discoveries, we find microorganisms capable of adapting to the most extreme conditions.
Geological phenomena such as earthquakes and eruptions are common in this area, so the emergence of a new vent did not surprise scientists, who believe the large magma reservoir beneath the region is in motion.
