OK, so I'm not usually one to worry about mega-disasters. Though I suppose a big hurricane hitting New York qualifies in some senses. However. . .

My brother just got back from a trip to Yellowstone. (Great trip - saw elk, bison, coyotes, wolves, and all sorts of cool geological features.) During the four days he was there, he reports that there were five hundred (500!!!) small earthquakes. Additionally, patterns in the geysers were changing - some becoming more frequent, some less, and some erupting in places where non had been previously.

I've always assumed that an eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera would qualify as a Very Bad Thing but never gave it too much thought.

So, for those who have done more research, is this something that I should be more concerned about? Is this change in seismic activity out of the ordinary? Any thought on what it means?

Jesselp, feeling a bit apocalyptic.

I posted this recent article in another thread.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/science/01yellowstone.html

Apparently there has been a significant increase in the number of earthquakes, but its not unprecedented. Worth keeping an eye on.

A little research goes a long way. . .

Press Release
University of Utah Seismograph Stations

Released: February 03, 2010 10:00 AM MST

This release is a continuation of information updates building upon our five previous press releases on the ongoing earthquake swarm on the west side of Yellowstone National Park.

The University of Utah Seismograph Stations reports that a period of increased seismic activity occurred on February 2, 2010 beginning at ~3:30 PM MST. This period of increased activity lasted about 6 hours and included at least 2 events that were reported felt in Yellowstone National Park. The two largest earthquakes during this sequence were magnitude 3.1 and 2.8 that occurred at 7:31 PM and 7:44 PM respectively.

These earthquakes are part of an ongoing swarm in Yellowstone National Park that began January 17, 2010 (1:00 PM MST). The largest earthquake in the swarm as of 7 AM MST, February 03, 2010, has been a magnitude 3.8. There have been 1,719 located earthquakes in the swarm of magnitude 0.3 to 3.8. This includes 14 events of magnitude larger than 3, with 135 events of magnitude 2 to 3, and 1,570 events of magnitude less than 2. There have been multiple personal reports of ground shaking from observers inside the Park and in surrounding areas for some of the larger events (for felt reports, please visit http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/). Earthquake swarms are relatively common in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists still consider that the swarm events are likely the result of slip on pre-existing faults and are not thought to be caused by underground movement of magma. Currently there is no indication of premonitory volcanic or hydrothermal activity, but ongoing observations and analyses will continue to evaluate these different sources.

Seismic information on the earthquake can be viewed at the University of Utah Seismograph Stations: http://www.seis.utah.edu/.

Seismograph recordings from stations of the Yellowstone seismograph network can be viewed online at: http://quake.utah.edu/helicorder/yell_webi.htm.

Anyone who has felt earthquakes in the swarm are encouraged to fill out a form on the USGS Community Felt reports web site: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi/.

This press release was prepared by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory partners of the U.S. Geol. Survey, the University of Utah, and the National Park Service: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/

A bug hurricane would be AWFUL! They would be splattered all over those billions of windows in the skyscrapers. Of course, it would keep the window cleaning companies busy for some time to come.

Sue

Yellowstone having a fit in the worse way possible would be bad, very bad, biblical-scale bad, the end of days, game over, bad for most of the US and the better part of Mexico. It could also throw the levers of climate the other way for decades, perhaps a generation. At least one source suggests that there would be global cooling, a possible die-off, perhaps an ice age. It would change things globally for a time.

The good news is that, based on the evidence I've seen, not that I'm a geologist, it doesn't look highly likely any time soon. But lots of people are watching. The USGS and US government earthquake centers are good sources of reliable information.

A useful site that is following the situation and doing a good job of explaining:
http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/2010/02/the_structure_of_calderas.php

Holy crap. How in the world do you prepare for a bug hurricane!??

With a scraper, a bowl and a spoon.
-Blast

jeez you are just too tough. I would at least want some seasonings, tobasco or something... As long as you are talking about preparing...

And a lot of hot sauce!

...and some blue cheese for that bowl of "wings"...