The Super Volcano in Yellowstone Might Have More Magma Under The Surface Than We Know

Does that mean Yellowstone is closer to going boom?

Transcript

00:00The Yellowstone National Park is one of the United States greatest natural wonders, featuring

00:08geysers and other incredible beauties.

00:11But the reason for many of the park's remarkable sights is due to the caldera supervolcano

00:15that lurks underneath it, and experts have recently made a pretty interesting discovery

00:19about that very volcano.

00:21Scientists have previously believed the conditions under the surface led to around a 10% melt

00:25factor for magma.

00:26Now they say that number is likely closer to between 16 and 20 percent, or nearly twice

00:31what was initially thought to be the case.

00:33So should we start worrying, as an eruption from the Yellowstone supervolcano is likely

00:37to change the planet as we know it?

00:38Not quite, say the researchers, saying in their paper, quote, Although our results indicate

00:42that Yellowstone's magma reservoir contains substantial melt at depths that fueled prior

00:46eruptions, our study does not confirm the presence of an eruptible body or imply a future

00:51eruption.

00:52So how much melt would be needed for Yellowstone to go boom?

00:55Scientists estimate that previous eruptions occurred when magma levels reached between

00:5935 and 50 percent.