Does that mean Yellowstone is closer to going boom?
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00:00The Yellowstone National Park is one of the United States greatest natural wonders, featuring
00:08geysers and other incredible beauties.
00:11But the reason for many of the park's remarkable sights is due to the caldera supervolcano
00:15that lurks underneath it, and experts have recently made a pretty interesting discovery
00:19about that very volcano.
00:21Scientists have previously believed the conditions under the surface led to around a 10% melt
00:25factor for magma.
00:26Now they say that number is likely closer to between 16 and 20 percent, or nearly twice
00:31what was initially thought to be the case.
00:33So should we start worrying, as an eruption from the Yellowstone supervolcano is likely
00:37to change the planet as we know it?
00:38Not quite, say the researchers, saying in their paper, quote, Although our results indicate
00:42that Yellowstone's magma reservoir contains substantial melt at depths that fueled prior
00:46eruptions, our study does not confirm the presence of an eruptible body or imply a future
00:51eruption.
00:52So how much melt would be needed for Yellowstone to go boom?
00:55Scientists estimate that previous eruptions occurred when magma levels reached between
00:5935 and 50 percent.