What plate boundary is under Yellowstone?
Most volcanoes form on the boundaries of tectonic plates, where natural Earth processes create magma that rises to the surface. However, the Yellowstone supervolcano lies in the middle of the North American Plate.
Does the Yellowstone hotspot occur at a convergent plate boundary?
Because the hot spot is caused by mantle plumes that exist below the tectonic plates, as the plates move, the hot spot does not, and may create a chain of volcanoes on the Earth's surface. Neither the Hawaiian Islands nor Yellowstone National Park are near plate boundaries.
Does Yellowstone have oceanic or continental plates?
Yellowstone Super-Volcano Created By Ancient Slab Of Oceanic Crust Wedged Under North America. An ancient piece of oceanic crust that lodged itself beneath the North American continent created the Yellowstone Caldera and other volcanoes in the hotspot track, new research shows.
Is Yellowstone located on a hotspot or boundary?
Yellowstone sits above a melting anomaly within the Earth, called a “hotspot.” This hotspot is powered by a plume of hot (but not molten) material that may extend as deep as the boundary between the planet's mantle and core.
How is Yellowstone a part of tectonic plates?
Most volcanoes occur at the boundary between two tectonic plates, but Yellowstone is unusual because it lies centrally on the North America plate. Many geologists believe that is because Yellowstone sits on top of a “hot spot” – a plume of warm mantle rising up from the edge of the Earth's core.
Is Yellowstone a continental hotspot?
Yellowstone sits atop a continental hot spot. As the North American plate moves steadily westward the hot spot affects different areas of the continent. Volcanic activity can be traced across the United States as the plate has moved across this hot spot. This caldera is one of the largest calderas in the world.
Is Yellowstone a divergent plate?
Yellowstone is situated with a tectonic plate not a plate boundary.
Is Yellowstone a subduction zone?
The research conducted by scientists including Professor Ross Griffiths of the Australian National University, shows features associated with Yellowstone were caused by a volcanic hot spot affected by a subduction zone.
Is Yellowstone on a fault line?
The park sits atop a network of fault lines associated with an enormous volcano buried deep beneath the ground (this volcano last erupted about 70,000 years ago, according to the USGS). Earthquakes occur as the region's fault lines stretch apart, and as magma, water and gas move beneath the surface.
Is Yellowstone a hotspot?
Yellowstone sits above a melting anomaly within the Earth, called a “hotspot.” This hotspot is powered by a plume of hot (but not molten) material that may extend as deep as the boundary between the planet's mantle and core.
What type of volcano is Yellowstone?
| Yellowstone Caldera | |
|---|---|
| Age of rock | 2,100,000–70,000 years |
| Mountain type | Caldera and supervolcano |
| Volcanic field | Yellowstone Plateau |
| Last eruption | approximately 640,000 years ago (caldera-forming); 70,000 years ago (in the caldera) |
How was Yellowstone formed?
The Yellowstone caldera was created by a massive volcanic eruption approximately 631,000 years ago. Later lava flows filled in much of the caldera, now it is 30 x 45 miles.
Is Yellowstone a landform?
Yellowstone is actually an enormous volcano, known as a super-volcano; it sits atop a geological hot spot, which is responsible for the park's plethora of unusual but beautiful landforms.
What formed Yellowstone?
The Yellowstone caldera was created by a massive volcanic eruption approximately 631,000 years ago. Later lava flows filled in much of the caldera, now it is 30 x 45 miles.
How was Yellowstone formed geologically?
Explosive Past About 631,000 years ago, Yellowstone exploded in a massive volcanic eruption. It blew volcanic ash and gas into the air. As the underground magma reservoir emptied, a giant crater, or caldera, formed.