Latest news with #hydrothermalexplosion
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Travel + Leisure
18 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
Scientists Just Discovered a New Natural Wonder at Yellowstone National Park—What to Know
A brand-new discovery in a popular national park has 'explosive' beginnings. Geologists in Yellowstone National Park recently discovered a new thermal pool, likely formed by a hydrothermal explosion, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The stunning crater, which has pale blue water and is surrounded by rocks covered in light-gray sandy mud, was discovered during routine maintenance of temperature logging stations in the area. Scientists said the new feature appeared to have formed over the course of multiple small explosions and likely started to develop on Christmas Day 2024 with "further activity" continuing in mid-to-late January and early February. The pool sits at about 13 feet across with the water measured at a steamy 109 degrees Fahrenheit. A new thermal feature in Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. 'The latest new thermal feature in Norris Geyser Basin—perhaps the most dynamic area in Yellowstone National Park—demonstrates the spectrum of ways in which hydrothermal features evolve," according to the USGS. "Some form during brief and violent episodes of change. Others may take shape far more gradually, like the new feature... that seems to have begun taking shape on Christmas 2024." High-resolution satellite images show the development of the new thermal pool starting in December 2024 before growing into a small depression by early January and then finally revealing itself as fully-formed by Feb. 13. 'The rocks and white material (silica mud) surrounding the pool were probably ejected as the feature formed,' the report revealed. Hydrothermal explosions are somewhat common throughout Yellowstone National Park, the USGS noted. In fact, the Biscuit Basin trail head is still closed following an explosion that occurred there in July 2024. The area sits near the popular tourist destination, Old Faithful. This most recent hydrothermal explosion resulted in a new natural wonder, but in some cases, the explosions can be deadly. In El Salvador, an explosion in 1990 resulted in more than 20 combined deaths and injuries, according to a report from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. More than 4.74 million people visited Yellowstone National Park in 2024, according to the National Park Service, a 44% increase compared to the total number of visitors in 2022. There's no one good time to visit the park, but travelers who go in the warmer months (typically from mid-April to the end of October) will find amazing camping and hiking with most of the park's roads open. Travelers who head to the park in the winter will find fewer crowds and plenty of snowy adventures, including the chance to traverse the park on skis, snowshoes, or by snowmobile.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
New blue water spring found at Yellowstone after 'mildly explosive' activity
Geologists discovered a new blue water spring at Yellowstone National Park that likely formed after a series of "mildly explosive events," the United States Geological Survey said. The new pool was found in a subbasin at the Norris Geyser Basin, which is the park's hottest and oldest thermal area. Scientists conducting routine maintenance in the area unearthed the spring in April, according to a July 14 release from USGS. The hole is about 13 feet in diameter and 1 foot below the rim, USGS said. The water in the pool, which is light blue in color, was measured at 109°F. USGS said satellite images indicate the spring formed in a series of events between December 2024 and February 2025. Geologists believe it formed as a result of a hydrothermal explosion, which is when hot water within a volcano flashes to steam, breaking rocks and throwing them into the air. More Yellowstone: Watch pair of baby bison run off the 'zoomies' at the park New Yellowstone spring probably formed in 'mildly explosive events' Yellowstone's new blue water spring "probably formed in a series of mildly explosive events" between late December 2024 and February 2025, USGS said. Geologists discovered the hole in April after visiting the site for the first time since last fall, USGS said. The pool was surrounded by small rocks that were covered in light-gray, sandy mud. The sides of the pool also appeared to have two exposed layers, but one was actually a coating left when the water was at a higher level, USGS said. Both the presence of the rocks and the water layers are evidence of a hydrothermal explosion, according to USGS. Satellite images corroborated the findings that the hole formed over several months. Can you swim in Yellowstone's hot springs? While hot springs are often popular swimming spots for visitors to national parks, it's unlikely the one recently discovered at Yellowstone's Norris Geyser Basin will allow bathing. According to the National Park Service, Yellowstone has very limited spots for swimming because of extreme water temperatures. The water in the park's hot springs often reaches the boiling point, so swimming in them is prohibited to protect visitors as well as the park's thermal environments, according to NPS. On the other end of the spectrum, the park's high-elevation lakes and rivers typically have cold water that can pose a risk of hypothermia, per NPS. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yellowstone National Park geologists find new blue water spring
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Another hole has formed at Yellowstone National Park, geologists say
More geological changes are occurring at Yellowstone National Park, as another hole forms in one of the park's basins. The hole is a blue water spring, discovered by geologists in April as they conducted routine maintenance of temperature logging stations at Norris Geyser Basin, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. MORE: Hidden magma cap discovered at Yellowstone National Park The pool, located in the Porcelain Basin sub-basin west of a patch of vegetation known as "Tree Island," was not there during their last visit to the area in the fall, according to the USGS. The water is light blue in color and is about 1 foot deep below the rim. It's geological features indicate it formed as a result of a hydrothermal explosion -- an event caused by pressure changes that result from the transition of liquid water to steam, according to the USGS. MORE: Researchers working to save whitebark pine, a declining keystone tree species in the greater Yellowstone area The pool measures about 13 feet in diameter and is surrounded by numerous small rocks about 1 foot across. The rocks are covered by light gray, sandy mud. It is "not surprising" that a hydrothermal explosion occurred at the site, as it has happened several times in recent decades, according to the USGS. The North Geyser Basin is the "most dynamic" area in Yellowstone, the agency said. High-resolution satellite imagery indicates that the hole was not present on Dec. 19, but images taken on Jan. 6 show a depression that had formed in the area. By Feb. 13, the pool had been filled with water, the satellite images show. More will hydrothermal explosions will likely be recorded, as a monitoring station installed in 2023 can detect geophysical data indicating an explosion. MORE: Yellowstone visitors are getting so comfortable with approaching wildlife that park officials are asking them to stop In April 2024, a "small" explosion at the Porcelain Terrace left a crater measuring several feet across in diameter, according to the USGS. A hole that formed in Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin, near Old Faithful, in July 2024 was also attributed to a hydrothermal explosion, according to the National Park Service. While that hole likely formed in a single major explosive event, the newest thermal feature appears to have formed by multiple small events that initially threw rocks but later threw silica mud a short distance, creating a small pit that became filled with silica-rich water. MORE: Yellowstone supervolcano has a lot more magma than previously thought: Scientists Geologists estimate that the feature probably started to develop on Dec. 25, with further activity occurring through late January and early February, according to the USGS. Beneath Yellowstone National Park lies a complex and extensive volcanic system. The park is thoroughly monitored by the USGS and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
There's a Strange New Hole in Yellowstone National Park
Last April, geologists conducting routine maintenance at temperature logging stations in Yellowstone National Park's Norris Geyser Basin found something unexpected: a previously undocumented thermal pool of blue water. The newly identified pool, found in the Porcelain Basin subbasin, is about 13 feet (4 meters) wide, its idyllic blue water is around 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), and the water's surface sits about one foot (30 centimeters) below the rim of the pool, according to a United States Geological Survey statement. The geologists found light-gray mud-covered rocks, including rocks up to one foot wide (30 cm), surrounding the pool. How did this feature form? According to the geologists, the clues actually paint a relatively clear picture: the pool likely resulted from a hydrothermal explosion—when liquid water turns to steam and causes underground pressure changes, creating a steam blast. Hydrothermal explosions are not uncommon at Norris Geyser Basin, which has experienced similar events before. Well-documented ones include the 1989 explosion of Porkchop Geyser. More recently, a new monitoring station installed in 2023 detected an explosion in the Porcelain Terrace area on April 15, 2024. Satellite imagery shows that the new pool did not exist before December 19, 2024. By January 6, 2025, a small cavity had begun to take shape, and on February 13, the water pool had fully formed. However, the recently installed monitoring station—which detects hydrothermal activity via infrasound (extremely low-frequency sound waves)—did not register any strong or distinct explosions during that time. It did, though, detect a number of weak acoustic signals from the direction of the pool, including on December 25, 2024, January 15, 2025, and February 11, 2025, but without an associated seismic signal that would normally accompany a strong explosion. As such, the pool likely formed after a number of smaller explosions chucked out rocks and silica mud, as opposed to a single big event. Silica-rich water then filled the resulting hole. The activity probably started on December 25, 2024, and continued in January and early February of this year. Norris Geyser Basin is the oldest and most active thermal area in Yellowstone and hosts the tallest geyser—a sporadically explosive hot water spring—on Earth. Yellowstone itself has over 10,000 thermal features, such as geysers, hot springs, steam vents, and mudpots, which attract tourists and scientists alike from all over the globe. The thermal activity is driven by an underground magma reservoir (part of the giant Yellowstone volcano complex), which heats up groundwater and triggers a series of chemical and physical reactions. Ultimately, the finding shows that even the most studied landscapes can still surprise us.
