Yellowstone
Rising
Yellowstone
Rising
Published in Science on November 09 2007
The Yellowstone caldera began an extraordinary episode of ground rising in mid-2004, revealed by GPS (Global Positioning System) and InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) measurements, at rates up to 7 cm/yr that is over three times faster than previously observed inflation rates. The caldera-wide accelerated upli ft is interpreted as magmatic recharge of the Yellowstone magma body. While the geodetic observations and mo dels do not imply an impending volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion, they are important evidence of on going processes of a large caldera that was produced by a super volcano eruption.
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Robert B. Smith
Bob Smith's research interests are in seismology, tectonophysics, crustal deformation using GPS (Global Positioning System), and active tectonics. Current research projects include: 1) geodynamics of and evolution of the Yellowstone hotspot and the Yellowstone caldera, 2) seismicity and volcanic hazards of Yellowstone and operation of the Yellowstone seismograph network, and 3) crustal deformation and earthquake hazards of the Wasatch and Teton faults using GPS and fault modeling. Teaching includes tectonophysics and elastic waves, theoretical seismology, earthquake seismology and earthquake hazards, and introductory earthquakes and volcanoes. |
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Wu-Lung Chang
Postdoctoral fellow Wu-Lung Chang's most recent research has been focused on geodetic studies of active normal-fault systems and silicic volcanic fields, and earthquake hazard analysis, including (1) viscoelastic modeling for lithospheric rheology using the postseismic relaxation of the Ms=7.5 1959 Hebgen Lake, Montana, earthquake; (2) studying the inter-seismic kinematics of the Wasatch fault zone, Utah, and elastic modeling of fault geometry and loading rate; (3) crustal deformation and source modeling of the Yellowstone volcanic system; (4) integrating GPS observations with seismic and geologic data for earthquake ground shaking hazard analysis. |
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Taka'aki Taira
Taka'aki Taira is a postdoctoral fellow whose research interests include the state of stress at seismogenic depth, subsurface hydrothermal fluid migration, and seismic imaging of crustal structure. Current research has focused primarily on 1) detecting repeating earthquakes, volcanic tremors, fluid-induced earthquakes in the Yellowstone area and 2) estimating their source properties by systematic analyses of seismic, GPS, and strain data. |
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Christine Puskas
Christine Puskas is a Ph.D student working on the geodynamics of the western US interior and the effects of the Yellowstone hotspot. This research includes: 1) block and continuum modeling of deformation, 2) calculation of deviatoric stresses from variation in mass in the lithosphere, and 3) campaign GPS measurements of Yellowstone-Snake River Plain motion. |
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Jamie Farrell
Ph.D student Jamie Farrell's research interests are in seismology, tectonophysics, and geodynamics of the Yellowstone Hotspot. Current research projects include: 1) geodynamics of and evolution of the Yellowstone caldera using Finite Element Modeling, 2) seismicity and volcanic hazards of Yellowstone, and 3) the time-spatial seismicity patterns of the Yellowstone system characterized by the b-value. |
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Katrina Settles
Katrina Settles is a masters student whose research focuses on tectono-magmatic processes of the Yellowstone-Snake River Plain volcanic system. Just-completed research projects include gravity-density and lithospheric strength modeling of the YSRP. She will be working for ConocoPhilips starting in November 2007. |
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