[HN Gopher] Hydrothermal Explosion at Yellowstone National Park
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Hydrothermal Explosion at Yellowstone National Park
Author : jandrewrogers
Score : 65 points
Date : 2024-07-23 19:49 UTC (3 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (www.jhnewsandguide.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (www.jhnewsandguide.com)
| jandrewrogers wrote:
| From the US Geological Survey:
|
| "At around 10:00 AM MST on July 23, 2024, a small hydrothermal
| explosion occurred in Yellowstone National Park in the Biscuit
| Basin thermal area, about 2.1 miles (3.5 km) northwest of Old
| Faithful. Numerous videos of the event were recorded by visitors.
| The boardwalk was damaged, but there were no reports of injury.
| The explosion appears to have originated near Black Diamond Pool.
|
| Biscuit Basin, including the parking lot and boardwalks, are
| temporary closed for visitor safety. The Grand Loop road remains
| open. Yellowstone National Park geologists are investigating the
| event."
| willy_k wrote:
| Is this a potential sign of the fault shifting or whatever the
| correct terminology is? A warning shot before a massive
| earthquake? Or just a geyser-like phenomenon?
| swatcoder wrote:
| From
| https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/science/hydrother...
|
| > These very large and violent hydrothermal explosions are
| independent of associated volcanism. None of the large
| hydrothermal events of the past 16,000 years has been followed
| by an eruption of magma. The deeper magma system appears to be
| unaffected even by spectacular steam explosions and crater
| excavations within the overlying hydrothermal system.
| mikeodds wrote:
| Yellowstone supervolcano eruption
| https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/yellowstone-vol...
|
| pros:
|
| - band aid on global temperatures
|
| - interested in any others commenters may know of
|
| cons:
|
| - several states getting reset
|
| - volcanic ash covering the North American bread basket
|
| - pretty long list really
| LinuxBender wrote:
| I do not have links for you, but the last time I checked there
| was a general consensus among the majority of scientists that
| given the low percentage of molten lava in the upper chamber
| and low percentage of magma in the lower chamber we would have
| at least 10K years of low probability of a VEI 8 eruption. An
| eruption currently may damage part of the park from low
| basaltic flows and part of the park would be shut down. That
| was a decision making factor in my moving so close to
| Yellowstone.
| mikeodds wrote:
| Thanks, it does look a great part of the world to live in.
|
| I've taken liquefaction maps into account previously when
| finding places to live, but not had to look up magma chamber
| reports yet.
| mlhpdx wrote:
| If you want to worry, worry about Newberry.
|
| https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newberry_Volcano
| readthenotes1 wrote:
| If Yellowstone blew up like it has before, human civilization
| would end as would our contribution to global warming. More
| than a band-aid!
| hnthrowaway0315 wrote:
| Are the tourists lucky to not get hit? Since the bridge goes
| through the pool maybe it could erupt right under their feet?
| OutOfHere wrote:
| Ideally we should be mining Yellowstone completely for its
| geothermal power, starting at its periphery, then digging inward
| gradually. If we don't, the only other eventual outcome is
| destruction of North America from its supervolcano eruption.
| Mining it kills two problems with one stone, the energy problem
| and the supervolcano problem. Of course no fracking chemicals
| should be used.
| notaustinpowers wrote:
| National Parks (and the ADA) are some of the few great things
| that America has going for it and turning Yellowstone National
| Park into a power plant would not be one of them.
| Aeroi wrote:
| Used to guide in Yellowstone. This has no bearing on the greater
| Yellowstone Caldera (supervolcano) which spans nearly 30miles by
| 40miles. In my time there I never saw anything like this. If
| you're ever in a situation similar to this, run as fast and as
| far as you can.
|
| The interesting thing about geysers and pools is how relatively
| predictable they are... until they are not. A mathematical and
| statistical person would have a lot of fun building prediction
| models for all the different geysers.
| stouset wrote:
| Every time I see videos like this I'm astonished by how blase
| onlookers are about the whole thing.
|
| I know it's armchair quarterbacking but please don't be like the
| people in the video. If the Earth is erupting in front of you:
| turn and run. Don't stay there filming. Don't gently jog while
| constantly checking over your shoulder. Turn. And run.
|
| I'm not saying panic. I'm not saying trample anyone in front of
| you. But get to a safe distance with alacrity. You have _no_ idea
| if the situation will rapidly escalate, and you may only have one
| opportunity to put enough distance between you and the unfolding
| situation.
|
| In this scenario, falling rocks are a concern. Superheated steam
| is a concern. Poisonous gases could have been a concern.
| Corrosive liquids could have been a concern. Lava could have been
| a concern. All of these are reduced with distance. In the moment
| you have no idea of the full extent of the dangers and in many
| cases by the time you realize it's too late. Assume the worst
| until you know better.
|
| That said I'm very thankful nobody was hurt in this incident.
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(page generated 2024-07-23 23:00 UTC)