Magma Intrusion and Volatile Ascent Beneath Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

A recent study reveals that the rapid uplift and subsidence observed near Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, are driven by evolving processes of deep magma intrusion followed by volatile ascent. The research, utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data, shows that between 1996–2001, deep magma intrusion occurred, which was later followed by the ascent and accumulation of volatiles at shallow depths—possibly as shallow as a few hundred meters. This shallow volatile accumulation has progressively shallowed from the 2014 to the 2016 deformation episodes, correlating with increased eruptions of Steamboat Geyser since March 2018. The study also highlights an elevated risk of hydrothermal explosions in this region due to the shallow nature of volatile accumulation.

Wicks, C. W., Dzurisin, D., Lowenstern, J. B., & Svarc, J. (2020). Magma Intrusion and Volatile Ascent Beneath Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125(2). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jb018208