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Yellowstone National ParkJuvenile Bighorn Sheep casually amble along a precipice near Tower Falls.
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Yellowstone National Park
Hot Spot Theories

Two Hotspot Theories

MOLTEN ROCK, or magma, rises in convection cells, like water boiling in a pot. The left side of this illustration shows the traditional view of a hotspot as a plume of magma rising from the earth's core. The right side shows another theory that the Yellowstone hotspot originates at a much shallower depth.

View Caldera | Caldera Rim |Track the Hotspot | Eruptions

 
Roosevelt Arch at Yellowstone's North Entrance  

Did You Know?
The Roosevelt Arch is located at the North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The cornerstone of the arch was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt.

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Last Updated: March 06, 2008 at 15:43 EST