Is Yellowstone going to blow?

John, evidence is below. DH, you're addressing the wrong events (see below).

Explosions of this magnitude "happen about every 600,000 years at Yellowstone," says Chuck Wicks of the U.S. Geological Survey, who has studied the possibilities in separate work. "And it's been about 620,000 years since the last super explosive eruption there."
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http://www.livescience.com/environment/050308_super_volcano.html
 
Crunchy Cat said:
John, evidence is below. DH, you're addressing the wrong events (see below).
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No, I'm not. I am addressing the Yellowstone Caldera. Did you read my post, or only read what you wanted? Like you only read what you wanted in the article you cited?

Explosions of this magnitude "happen about every 600,000 years at Yellowstone," says Chuck Wicks of the U.S. Geological Survey, who has studied the possibilities in separate work. "And it's been about 620,000 years since the last super explosive eruption there."
http://www.livescience.com/environment/050308_super_volcano.html
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The Yellowstone Caldera, unlike Old Faithful, does not go off like clockwork. Some of the explosions are a lot closer together than 600,000 years and others are a lot further apart.
 
D H said:
No, I'm not. I am addressing the Yellowstone Caldera. Did you read my post, or only read what you wanted? Like you only read what you wanted in the article you cited?
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I would have to ask if you read your own post. You stated:

"The volcano does not literally explode every 600,000 years. It has exploded three times."

Then you referenced links that show explosions alot more than three times. Hopefully you can see why it would seem your opening statement was addressing the wrong events.

D H said:
The Yellowstone Caldera, unlike Old Faithful, does not go off like clockwork. Some of the explosions are a lot closer together than 600,000 years and others are a lot further apart.
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Is that your contention? I am ok with that. I'll re-assert:

Yellowstone explodes approximately every 600,000 years.
 
Crunchy Cat said:
I would have to ask if you read your own post. You stated:

"The volcano does not literally explode every 600,000 years. It has exploded three times."
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It has exploded three times recently. Happy?

Then you referenced links that show explosions alot more than three times. Hopefully you can see why it would seem your opening statement was addressing the wrong events.
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Read the articles. They are talking about the Yellowstone caldera. The last three explosions were 640 thousand, 1.3 million, and 2.1 million years ago. The last and penultimate explosion are separated by 660 thousand years. The 1.3 and 2.1 million year explosions are separated by 800 thousand years. That is a big spread, and is not like clockwork. The standard deviation is 100,000 years.

In other words, whether Yellowstone goes off tomorrow or doesn't explode for another 200,000 years are equally probable events.
 
you cant say everything goes in patterns like that. that sounds like you are saying 1.6million and 2.1 as if it was 50-100 years ago. and the more times it did erupt (if it did) then it would become less inttatattense. at least i would assume so.

the thing is we would need many more scientists than what we have now to study this. Even then these things have an element of prediction. could happen, maybe never happen, could happen 600,000 years from now.
 
I was thinking about this. Currently the earth is going through a geomagnetic reversal. From what I understand.. all that molten metal and other minerals under the earths crust is changing direction. (Hence the reason I polls will switch).

Would all that stuff changing direction not be an aggitator for setting the caldera off?
 
Orleander said:
why would it blow and not just ooze like it does in Hawaii? It already has hoot pools and geysers. Wouldn't that let off some of the pressure? If the ground split due to an earthquake, wouldn't that let off some of the pressure as well?
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It's all to do with lava viscosity and pressure. The lava at Hawaii is very runny and mobile, so it very rarely sets around the vent and clogs it. Pressure can't really build up. On many other volcanoes such as Yellowstone, St. Helens etc the lava is very thick and can create quite a blockage when it sets around the vent. You end up with a big build-up of pressure and when the force of the magma overcomes the resistance of the blockage, a big bang.

Hot springs and geysers don't let off any pressure because they are not magmatic water. They are rainwater that percolates down in to the hot rock.
 
Yes it will blow. From what I've read, it's a real crap shoot guessing when. Some say any minute, some say within 100000 years, some even say millions. But it WILL blow.

When it does it will go, it will be like it's counterpart did, on the other side of the world at Toba, ~65000 to 75,000 years ago. That event reduced humanity to just a few thousand pairs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theory
 
D H said:
It has exploded three times recently. Happy?


Read the articles. They are talking about the Yellowstone caldera. The last three explosions were 640 thousand, 1.3 million, and 2.1 million years ago. The last and penultimate explosion are separated by 660 thousand years. The 1.3 and 2.1 million year explosions are separated by 800 thousand years. That is a big spread, and is not like clockwork. The standard deviation is 100,000 years.

In other words, whether Yellowstone goes off tomorrow or doesn't explode for another 200,000 years are equally probable events.
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Then it's 'highly' probable when it does blow again, there are going to be fewer people drawing unemployment and probably a very big hole in the ground to boot.
 
personally i would rather go quickly instead of years of torture and breathing problems. not to mention very little sun light.
 
John99 said:
Where is jellystone?
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Not sure. You might want to ask Yogi and Boo Boo. You may have to offer them a pic-a-nic basket in exchange for information from them..

BTW, I am well aware that it is actually Yellowstone.
Internet facetiousness > you
 
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