Since December 1, an earthquake swarm is hitting beneath the eastern part of Yellowstone Lake.
This high seismic activity occurs along an ancient fault that formed when the supervolcano last erupted 631,000 years ago.
Could it signal the reactivation of that boundary fault?
Why is this Yellowstone swarm so interesting?
Although the current swarm looks very impressive, it is pale in comparison to one of the most famous seismic series to have happened since the formation of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, the 2008–2009 Yellowstone Lake swarm.
The seismic series is interesting as it is slightly larger than the average swarm in terms of numbers of earthquakes.
It is known that the real risk at Yellowstone isn’t a supereruption but a powerful earthquake… And it is known that such ‘Big Ones’ can be initiated by enhanced seismic activity.
What is the 2008–2009 Yellowstone Lake swarm?
The 2008–2009 swarm began on December 27, 2008, in northern Yellowstone Lake and lasted for around 11 days until January 7, 2009, migrating north over time at about 1 km per day.
It was initiated by a M4.1 earthquake which was followed by more than 800 aftershocks.
The migrating series was accompanied by surface deformation indicating fluids moving through the shallow crust.
And this seismic event remains the only time that GPS stations in Yellowstone have recorded deformation related to an active earthquake swarm.
Up to now, it is unknown what type of fluid was moving (water, gas, magma, etc.).
The 2020 Yellowstone Lake earthquake swarm
In comparison, the current swarm is much weaker in terms of total numbers of events (about 150) and the energy they have released.
Moreover, the seismicity in this current swarm doesn’t seem to be migrating with time.
However, the 2020 swarm occurred directly on the boundary of Yellowstone Caldera a fault which formed due to collapse of the surface during the most recent large explosive eruption 631,000 years ago.
Could this swarm be a reactivation of that boundary fault?
Swarms on caldera-bounding faults are relatively common.
For example, earlier this year, on September 10, 2020, another swarm occurred with about 100 located earthquakes in 24 hours (the largest was magnitude 2.8).
This swarm was located where the southern part of the caldera-bounding fault intersects a regional fault zone.
Existing faults and cracks are weak zones that are frequently prone to slipping, especially in the presence of hydrothermal fluids like those that are found in abundance at Yellowstone!
While the Yellowstone is currently being hit by swarms of earthquakes, a new study explains that the Yellowstone hotspot is waning.
When will the 2020 Yellowstone earthquake swarm stop?
At this point, it doesn’t look like the current swarm beneath Yellowstone Lake will approach the size of some of the larger swarms that have occurred in the past few decades.
But one never knows how things are going to go, especially when it comes to earthquakes.
One thing is sure, Yellowstone will continue to have earthquake swarms like this in the future. And keep in mind… While Yellowstone supervolcano eruption rumors are back, Cascadia is the real Big One!
So now it’s time to get the real version of the story about the volcano threats on the U.S. West Coast and watch the most informative and spectacular documentary ever done on this subject here (click on the image below).
More Yellowstone and earthquake news on UTAH, USGS, Strange Sounds and Steve Quayle.
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God had enough of America. He will make short work of it soon.
Yellowstone is still worth seeing. I recommend one of those week long mountain bike type excursions. I did that park and several others on mountain bike down logging roads and switchbacks. You see animals up close, and it’s refreshing to be in the forests.
Not sure when this place will blow, but the hydrothermal fluids will probably be something to watch closely. I sat and waited for Old Faithful up there. It was awesome. Plenty of buffalo, moose, elk, and bear.
War and rumors of war and quakes will shake down foundations of all planet, politically and socially till mankind find ways to solve the problems of today together rather one nations only. Tuesday December 15 2020, 15:35:15 UTC 175 km E of Yamada, Japan 4.9 10.0 USGS Feed Detail
Tuesday December 15 2020, 15:35:15 UTC 176 km E of Yamada, Japan 4.9 10.0 USGS Feed Detail
New Covid-19 strain found in UK spreads FASTER, is already in nearly 60 local authority areas – health secretary COVID 20 is here now.
A rapidly spreading strain of the coronavirus has been identified in England, adding more than 1,000 cases to the UK’s total count, the health secretary said, after confirming London is entering the top tier of Covid-19 measures.
The new variant has been located in southeastern England, Matt Hancock revealed on Monday, saying that scientists at Porton Down, the country’s secretive military and public health research facility, had been analysing the new form of the virus.
“Initial analysis suggests that this variant is growing faster than the existing variants,” Hancock told MPs in the House of Commons.
So you take COVID 19 vaccines and now they are making for COVID 20 yet with all side effects?
I told my father in his mid 80s to avoid all vax.
His second wife is a canadian communist. I didn’t tell her.
— I told her Truedope was was fathered by Fidel Castro and his trollop of a mother. Hehehe, probably true.
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