Electric Yellowstone: Conductivity image hints volcano plume is bigger than thought

This image, based on variations in electrical conductivity of underground rock, shows the volcanic plume of partly molten rock that feeds the Yellowstone supervolcano. Yellow and red indicate higher conductivity, green and blue indicate lower conductivity. Made by University of Utah geophysicists and computer scientists, this is the first large-scale "geoelectric" image of the Yellowstone hotspot. Credit: University of Utah.

The image suggests the plume is even bigger than it appears in earlier images made with earthquake waves.

This illustration compares two views of the volcanic plume that feeds the supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park. The "geoelectric" image on the left is a new one based on variations in electrical conductivity of rock and fluids underground. It shows the plume dipping about 40 degrees to the west, and the method can only "see" the plume to a depth of about 200 miles. The more conventional seismic image on the right was made using earthquake waves. The seismic image shows the volcanic plume dipping 60 degrees to the west-northwest and the plume reaches a depth of at least 410 miles (this image doesn't go that deep). Together, the two images suggest then Yellowstone hotspot plume is bigger than had been thought based in the seismic image alone. Credit: University of Utah.

Which is one of the reasons I have expressed concerns over the accuracy of seismic tomography. However:

Smith says the geoelectric and seismic images of the Yellowstone plume look somewhat different because "we are imaging slightly different things." Seismic images highlight materials such as molten or partly molten rock that slow seismic waves, while the geoelectric image is sensitive to briny fluids that conduct electricity.

So this plume is like seriously massive. And yet:

The lesser tilt of the geoelectric plume image raises the possibility that the seismically imaged plume, shaped somewhat like a tilted tornado, may be enveloped by a broader, underground sheath of partly molten rock and liquids, Zhdanov and Smith say.

Oh, you mean the protective sheath that may actually be closer to the surface because of calculation error, and that several natural gas companies want to drill into?

Yeah, what a great idea. :shk:

www.physorg.com...

Kinda funny actually. First they did the surveying and got an idea of the size. Then they do the seismic tomography, and discovered the plume was bigger than they thought. Now they do an electrical conductivity study and discover it is even bigger still than thought again.

So what's next? Got any more bright ideas?

reply to post by TrueAmerican


They have lost their minds to allow any drilling there at all.

Originally posted by SusanFrey
reply to post by TrueAmerican

 

They have lost their minds to allow any drilling there at all.

I second that!

would make as much sense as throwing a live munitions round in a fire and expect it not to explode!.....IDIOTS!!

Ya. Drilling into that is a genius plan.

I wish they would do those studies in Arkansas. LOL!!!!!

Originally posted by SusanFrey
I wish they would do those studies in Arkansas. LOL!!!!!

oh now Susan.....you know they've studied here.....everything is perfectly fine.....fracking is harmless
...(insert sarcasm here)

Fracking in Yellowstone?? IT CAN'T HAPPEN!! For more information about fracking - follow the thread posted earlier this year about Swarms of Earthquakes in Arkansas. Very enlightning thread about the correlation between fracking sites and earthquakes. Many of the earthquakes in the swarms were within a few hundred feet of the fracking facilities. If I knew how to embed links - I would do so here. Sorry for the lack of computer expertise.

reply to post by rinowilli


I know they have drilled into areas and put an end to it that they should have left alone and are planning on drilling to the center of the earth. There is a thread somewhere about that too. They have gone insane.

reply to post by SusanFrey


Susan, check your PM's, sent you a note.

Well no doubt the naysayers will call us "gas huggers" now.

They'll claim that the wells are only 4 to 5 km deep, and that horizontal drilling can be done without any harm. And of course, they'll sell that to whoever stands to make a buck.

I don't see HOW they can know what's what down there. It is so fractured and unpredictable due to magma and hydrothermal features, of all places on the planet it would be probably the easiest to make a mistake.

Ha mistake. Yeah right mistake. That wouldn't even be classified as a mistake anymore if they literally royally screwed up and gave that kind of bomb an outlet to the top. It would be called gross criminal negligence that could cost untold amounts of lives and catastrophic destruction.

So first they drill into the bottom of the gulf and knacker the whole area and now they want to drill into a super volcano that has the potential to destroy most of America and with it the worlds crops. Good call, why not blow up the moon and fill the oceans with cement I really give it what will it take for the people to rise up against big oil and our corrupt governments

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
Kinda funny actually. First they did the surveying and got an idea of the size. Then they do the seismic tomography, and discovered the plume was bigger than they thought. Now they do an electrical conductivity study and discover it is even bigger still than thought again.

So what's next? Got any more bright ideas?

Yeah, they'll poke a huge stick at it, and then discover it's even bigger! And mad at them....

reply to post by TrueAmerican

Ha mistake. Yeah right mistake. That wouldn't even be classified as a mistake anymore if they literally royally screwed up and gave that kind of bomb an outlet to the top. It would be called gross criminal negligence that could cost untold amounts of lives and catastrophic destruction.

There would be nothing left to call anything anything...

If each time they measure it it is seen bigger, could it be it is because it is growing?

Wow. Imagine scientists could underestimate the forces of mother nature. Wait, they did. The reactor. Right.

Stars and Flags for you American man. You starspangled banner.

In these dark times we should pray. I'm here for you.

I started a new religion.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

well. lets not hold up the apocalypse....drill baby drill!!!

i mean really.....im so sick of gross stupidity...lets let another sentient being evolve and rule after we kill ourselves. i mean, this plume reaches a guesstimated 460 miles down, and they wanna tinker with that?!

reply to post by TrueAmerican


I know!!! But they will. They rarely think of the what-if-we're-wrong scenario. The atom bomb, nuclear plants on a fault line, drilling for oil in the Gulf, WMDs, HAARP testing, and atom smashing....if an opportunity to make money exists, the outcome is always worth the risk. However, with this risk it means most of the whole world dies. Nuclear winter, no sunlight for who knows how long, plant die off, animal die off...and then what is that money worth? I was just thinking about this very thing today as I read this yahoo news article about growing plants without sunlight.....

news.yahoo.com...

TPTB preparing us?

I have been watching Yellowstone monitoring sites for a couple of years now and I have seen stronger quakes this year than there have been over the past 5. Drill a hole or two in it and I fear IT WILL NOT be as forgiving as the Gulf was.

Originally posted by rinowilli

Originally posted by SusanFrey
reply to post by TrueAmerican

 

They have lost their minds to allow any drilling there at all.

I second that!

would make as much sense as throwing a live munitions round in a fire and expect it not to explode!.....IDIOTS!!

You obviously don't know how volcanoes work specifically caldera's which Yellowstone is. You could drill holes into the magma chamber all day and nothing will happen, it needs to meet other conditions for it to explode. And why is everyone so shocked when scientists say how big the chamber is. There is mountains of geological data that tell us exactly how big the eruption will be. Don't need to shoot waves at it to know.

reply to post by SusanFrey



gotta get those $$$$$$$$ or fry trying.

it really does highlight the fact that they are not as bright as most people seem to give them credit for, maybe when it comes to making $$$$$ but thats as far as it goes.

i mean why even risk it, they already got the calculation wrong more than once, what makes them think they are right now or whenever the drilling takes place.

reply to post by kro32



are these the same experts that knew what they were doing whilst drilling in the gulf, or building power plants which accounted for common disasters for the area which it was built in ?

why take the risk? being wrong could spell the end. a big risk to take is'nt it.

Originally posted by lifeform11
reply to post by kro32

 

are these the same experts that knew what they were doing whilst drilling in the gulf, or building power plants which accounted for common disasters for the area which it was built in ?

why take the risk? being wrong could spell the end. a big risk to take is'nt it.

What risk are you referring too?. Your acting like all the magma is under immense pressure only being held back by the rock and that if we drill into it an explosion will occur. This is completely false about what is happening underground in yellowstone.

Drill a hole straight into the magma, drop a nuke down it, set it off, and you might feel a little earthquake is about it. Until there is enough magma with a high enough concentration of gas in it under enough pressure will there be any risk of an eruption.

And before it erupts you will see fissures opening all over the park but none of these holes to the magma will be responsible for it erupting. I'm afraid that the odds of your grandchildren seeing an eruption in yellowstone are slim to none at the moment but if your really interested in super volcanoes check out long valley caldera in california. It will erupt long before yellowstone is ready to go.