Yellowstone Caldera

Yellowstone Caldera is a volcanic depression in northwestern Wyoming formed when major eruptions emptied part of an underground magma reservoir and the overlying ground collapsed.

Caldera: A large volcanic depression formed when the ground collapses after magma is withdrawn from beneath it. Yellowstone is a caldera produced by collapse after enormous eruptions.
Huckleberry Ridge Tuff: A widespread volcanic deposit produced by Yellowstone’s oldest major caldera-forming eruption, about 2.1 million years ago. This eruption created the first of Yellowstone’s three major calderas.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory: A multi-agency program that monitors and reports on volcanic activity at Yellowstone. It tracks earthquakes, ground deformation, and hydrothermal changes across the caldera.
Long Valley Caldera: A large volcanic depression in eastern California formed by collapse after a major eruption about 760,000 years ago. It provides a well-studied comparison with Yellowstone’s active caldera system.
Magma chamber: An underground region where molten rock accumulates within Earth’s crust. Withdrawal from Yellowstone’s magma storage contributed to caldera collapse.
Mesa Falls Tuff: A volcanic deposit from Yellowstone’s caldera-forming eruption about 1.3 million years ago. Its eruption formed the Henrys Fork Caldera within the older volcanic system.
Interferometric synthetic-aperture radar: A satellite radar technique that measures ground-surface change by comparing radar images taken at different times. It helps map subtle uplift and subsidence across Yellowstone.
Valles Caldera: A volcanic depression in New Mexico formed by collapse after large eruptions about 1.2 million years ago. Its nested volcanic structures offer a contrasting example of caldera evolution.
Volcanic eruption: The release of magma, gas, and other material from a volcano onto or into its surroundings. Eruptions emptied magma reservoirs and preceded Yellowstone’s major collapses.
Lava Creek Tuff: A widespread volcanic deposit produced by Yellowstone’s most recent major caldera-forming eruption, about 631,000 years ago. This eruption formed the present Yellowstone Caldera.

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