Yellowstone seismic instruments sought

BILLINGS, Mont. – The U.S. Geological Survey has proposed an ambitious program to monitor seismic activity in Yellowstone National Park in hopes of helping better predict future earthquakes and hydrothermal or volcanic activity.

But so far, the program remains unfunded and unapproved.

Yellowstone is one of the largest active volcanic systems in the world and geologists say more should be done to track earthquakes and help predict volcanic eruptions, hydrothermal explosions and other potentially dangerous events.

Jake Lowenstern, a USGS geologist and head of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, said the survey’s proposal is meant as a starting point for launching discussions about how best to monitor seismic activity in the park.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“It’s our way of thinking through what sort of techniques would be useful, what we do and why, and then where do we fall short and how we might improve,” Lowenstern said.

The proposal suggests upgrading Yellowstone’s seismic network with more gauges to monitor streams and potentially dangerous gases, GPS stations that help predict ground-splitting explosions and even instruments hundreds of feet below the ground to monitor groundwater, magma and shifting rocks.

“In terms of knowing whether an eruption is going to happen, we already have a pretty good system,” Lowenstern said.

But geologists say at least equal attention should be paid to hydrothermal explosions that, aside from earthquakes and landslides, pose the greatest threat.

At least 20 large craters in the park were made by explosions over the last 15,000 years that erupted from boiling groundwater just below the surface.

About 2,000 earthquakes also shake the park each year. Most of them are so small they are not even felt, but the magnitude 7.5 earthquake at Hebgen Lake in 1959 killed 28 people and caused extensive damage.

“All (of those) geologic events can occur again at Yellowstone and some likely will within the coming decades,” says the USGS plan.

Yellowstone’s volcanic system was classified as a “high-threat” system by the federal government in a report last year that noted the park doesn’t have enough gauges and gadgets to keep track of it.

Upgrading the system would help detect “subtle, precursory changes that are likely to occur before hazardous events” so people can be given plenty of notice, the USGS said in its proposal.

There are already 26 seismic stations in Yellowstone. Satellites, GPS stations and other instruments also monitor its movements.

One of the shortcomings of the current system is that in a large earthquake, the instruments might be so disrupted they couldn’t faithfully record what’s going on. Some of the technology is also outdated – much of it is analog, not digital – and the park doesn’t have a redundant system that would allow important geologic data to be relayed outside the park in the case of a large-scale event.

Any new instruments, including those buried in the ground, would need approval from the National Park Service. Though there has been talk of putting more devices in the backcountry, Lowenstern said USGS tries to be as unobtrusive as possible.

“A lot of what we’ve done is try to put as many instruments as we can in places that are already developed,” he said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Everett Historic Theater owner Curtis Shriner inside the theater on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Historic Everett Theatre sale on horizon, future uncertain

With expected new ownership, events for July and August will be canceled. The schedule for the fall and beyond is unclear.

Contributed photo from Snohomish County Public Works
Snohomish County Public Works contractor crews have begun their summer 2016 paving work on 13 miles of roadway, primarily in the Monroe and Stanwood areas. This photo is an example of paving work from a previous summer. A new layer of asphalt is put down over the old.
Snohomish County plans to resurface about 76 miles of roads this summer

EVERETT – As part of its annual road maintenance and preservation program,… Continue reading

City of Everett Engineer Tom Hood, left, and City of Everett Engineer and Project Manager Dan Enrico, right, talks about the current Edgewater Bridge demolition on Friday, May 9, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.

Workers began dismantling the old Edgewater Bridge on May 2. The process could take one to two months, city engineers said.

Smoke from the Bolt Creek fire silhouettes a mountain ridge and trees just outside of Index on Sept. 12, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

Meetings will allow community members to learn wildfire mitigation strategies and connect with a variety of local and state agencies.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Washington State Trooper Chris Gadd is transported inside prior to a memorial service in his honor Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Jury selection begins in Everett trial of driver accused in trooper’s death

Jurors questioned on bias, media exposure in the case involving fallen Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Gadd.

Everett
Five arrested in connection with Everett toddler’s 2024 overdose death

More than a year after 13-month-old died, Everett police make arrests in overdose case.

Marysville School Board President Connor Krebbs speaks during a school board meeting before voting on school closures in the district on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Marysville school board president to resign

Connor Krebbs served on the board for nearly four years. He is set to be hired as a staff member at the district.

Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero / Washington State Standard
Labor advocates filled up the governor’s conference room on Monday and watched Gov. Bob Ferguson sign Senate Bill 5041, which extends unemployment insurance to striking workers.
Washington will pay unemployment benefits to striking workers

Labor advocates scored a win on Monday after Gov. Bob Ferguson signed… Continue reading

Aristide Economopoulos / NJ Monitor
Guns are shown at Caso’s Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, N.J.
Washingtonians will need state permit to buy guns under new law

The requirement will go beyond the state’s existing background checks.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.