Volcanic history of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, Wyoming
Welded Huckleberry Ridge Tuff at Golden Gate above Mammoth Hot Springs |
Yellowstone's world-famous natural history is marked by such colossal volcanic events that their reflections in today's landscape are difficult to grasp and impossible to take in at just a glance, even for those familiar with the signs of past volcanism. |
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone slices through thick accumulation of rhyolite |
The stunning features of Yellowstone National Park result from great explosive eruptions and profound collapse of the ground, enormously thick lava flows, uplift and extensive faulting, and the erosive power of flowing water and ice. For more than a century, geologists have discovered and analyzed evidence of the dramatic events that have shaped the land here. When combined with growing knowledge about how volcanoes work and the never-ending motion of Earth's surface, the evidence tells a remarkable story of the Yellowstone landscape. |
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Top of six-sided column of basalt at Sheepeater Cliff |
Columns of basalt lava flow at Sheepeater Cliff, outside youngest caldera |
Toe of basalt lava flow, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai`i |
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