Yellowstone Awakens from Slumber- Again- New Quake Swarm In Progress

Ya i have to agree with others, so far this is nothing to worry about, not really worthy of a post,
but it is great that you are keeping a eye on it. I check from time to time, since i live so close to
it, if it would go, odds are i wont have time to run to the store and buy a 12 pack before it
hits here.

There has been a increase in activity all over the area in the past few months. We have had 2 local
quakes that were big enough to feel, and many others that we cant feel.

But it is worth keeping a eye on it. I do thank you for that.

a reply to: TrueAmerican
Just caught this while browsing the Fragile Earth forum, thanks for your vigilance TA!
I was wondering...and seeing as how you mentioned Challis...
I've read conjecture that what's going on in Challis could be connected to YS, possibly via deep magma chambers.
Also mentioned were the swarms that have been going on near the Nevada / Oregon border.
USGS lists 46 today alone, with one registering mag 4.5.
Both of these areas are pretty much in the region of the hotspot's trek across the continent as the crust travels over it, I was wondering what your thoughts are about these two areas. The activity at the Oregon / Nevada border (ESE of Lakeview as listed by USGS) really has my attention. In fact, I was looking for discussion on it when I stumbled across this thread. I know that others including Olivine have brought attention to it not too long ago, but I haven't seen much talk about it recently. What the heck is going on there in your opinion???
Thanks!

ETA: OK, I finally found the thread by Canucks and see that you were the last one to comment back in November with some good information. Any more thoughts on this? It just keeps going...

originally posted by: eriktheawful
a reply to: TrueAmerican

Thanks for keeping us informed TA.

Minor or not, I always am grateful when you let us know about things you're seeing.

couldnt have put it better myself!

i like to use earthquake 3D tool.
www.wolton.net...

a reply to: sageturkey

Challis:
While the swarm there is interesting because it might be tied to the part of the deep magma plume which extends southwest from Yellowstone into Idaho, I think it is most likely tectonic in origin. If there is part of that plume below the swarm area, it is pretty darn deep. I think if the quakes were deeper there, then there might be a more obvious correlation- but they are pretty shallow- so I'd have to say not likely.

Nevada:
I saw that 4.5 come in live on my rig, and knew where it was from because I have an S&P distance profile already from previous quakes there, and from a station pretty close. It was funny to watch the NEIC struggle with it and mislocate it like three times, based upon initial solutions from the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (network code AT), before other more local agencies jumped in and finally correctly located it.

The quakes in that Nevada swarm are covering a pretty good size area, and most are still relatively shallow. Given the many 3+ mags in that sequence, volcanic/magmatic activity is still not completely out of the question for me as a cause- but it is still likely tectonic. We've seen this before near Hawthorne, NV- remember? Swarms that persisted for months on end. But again I say, even if it IS volcanic, the area is pretty remote, and few if any people would be immediately affected.

In the meantime, a 6.8 just rocked Port Villa in Vanuato.


UPDATE to this thread:
Most all activity at Yellowstone has ceased. I'm still watching it of course (I just about always am). The little flurry of activity at the Lake came and went. Back to sleep she goes... it appears... for now...

When Yellowstone blows it’s cork, I think we’re all in for a bad day. With a little luck, I’ll cash in my chips before the time comes.

Living in southern California, I’ve pretty much come to take it for granted that there will be quakes from time to time, and so it doesn’t bother me that much when one happens (so long as it’s under 4.5 or so). Anything above that, however, definately gets my full attention. I’ve been through a number of good shakes in the past. When the pictures on the wall start turning sideways and stuff is crashing all around, it tends to get a little worrisome. Thing is, while it’s happening you don’t know how much stronger it’s gonna get or how much longer it’ll last. Then when it’s over, you wonder if it was a foreshock or the main event. You’re like totally helpless while Mother Nature takes the controls from you. It sucks.

As with Yellowstone’s supervolcano, in southern California we’re way overdue for the San Andreas fault to rupture in a major quake. I understand from numerous surveys that a great deal of stress has built up along certain sections of the fault. So, a major quake in the 7+ range is considered likely for the L.A. Basin region in the near future (20 years or sooner, maybe tomorrow). But, since I know it’s on the way and there’s nothing I can do about it, I don’t dwell on it. It is what it is, I guess.

Here it’s quakes, in Wyoming/Utah regions it’s supervolcano’s and blizzards, in Florida it’s hurricanes, in Texas/Oklahoma and the southeast it’s tornadoes, and so on, and so on... It seems no matter where you go, you’re just living on borrowed time. So, I guess I’ll just stay put for now and hope I’m not in the shower when it hits...

Thanks for the update, TrueAmerican. Cool thread.

PS: I’ve also noticed a lot of small quake activity in Lakeview (Oregon/Nevada border) area. It’s been going on almost daily for some time now. I thought maybe fracking activity was causing it. Hmmm...

a reply to: netbound

I've noticed same activity in lakeview Oregon !

I think I'd rather have it let off a little steam, over just going boom.

I do find it odd that we're seeing small quakes in areas that we don't normally do. Like the 3.7 in Kansas that just happened 7 hours ago. But I don't think we have any real solid data of a super volcano eruption not live data at least. We can look at the aftermath but that does not tell us the clear signs of what happened be for.

We've also not had any large quakes in the area for 143 years. I'm talking 8.0 or above. We've had a few 6.0 but that number has gone down in the past few years. The highest so far was what a 9.2 and that was back in the 1700's so not sure how good that data is really. Kind of wish we had data be for that one.

a reply to: TrueAmerican
I can only speak for myself when I say this. Thank you sir, and keep the info coming.

I still don't think we'll see Yellowstone blow it's top. At least not in my life time. 75,002 years since the last super blew it's top, and they seems to go off about every 10,416,333.33 years giving us 10,341,331.33 years to go be for even getting near the next one. This is even counting in large impacts items on the earth. That didn't seem to have any effect on the pattern.

The caldera measure about 34 by 45 miles. And it is winter, thus snowpack accumulates, bringing weight to bear on the surface over the caldera. Settling occurs due to the weight of the snowpack. Minor settling occurs, and in the Spring/Summer the snow melts, relieving the pressure on the caldera once again.

Had anyone considered this?

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Oil Leak in Yellowstone River happened last week. I wonder if it will do any harm to the sleeping giant??

www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: Plotus
The caldera measure about 34 by 45 miles. And it is winter, thus snowpack accumulates, bringing weight to bear on the surface over the caldera. Settling occurs due to the weight of the snowpack. Minor settling occurs, and in the Spring/Summer the snow melts, relieving the pressure on the caldera once again.

Had anyone considered this?

Interesting thought. I live about 90 miles (as the crow flies) from the caldera. I have often wondered why it seems like we get more swarms in January and February. It seems that way to me at any rate. Someone else who has better data collection and analysis skills might very well contradict me though.

Hmm, well now we're getting some persistent, real small seismicity at the lake again. But it's weird, and I suspect, deep.

Take a look at some of the lake seismos:
www.quake.utah.edu...
www.quake.utah.edu...
www.quake.utah.edu...

What's weird about these is that B208 and B944, both borehole seismometers (meaning they reside in a borehole down around 300 feet deep), are showing these strongest- even though they are small. Like real small most of them. But still, if they were the ice quakes as is typical at Yellowstone Lake this time of year, they would register stronger on the surface stations like LKWY and H17A. And they have a certain spiky-like signature that I have come to recognize after all these years of watching them on spectro. But weirder still is what THESE look like on spectro. Can't remember seeing this before, but all the highs are attenuated, leaving them looking like teleseisms a bit. But they are not, and that I am pretty sure of. So I suspect these to be deep microquakes.

So what is going on under there? Something is fidgeting. The bulge getting bigger? Hydrothermal explosion imminent? Dunno. But I be a watchin. If this persists I'll upload a pic of spectro so you guys can see what I am talking about.

Calm my Doom Porn suppliers/messengers. No need for panic, it's a natural process that occurs from time to time. Even if it goes off - Why worry? We would all die by earthquakes or a giant tsunami!

Stop fearing death and live your life