April 11, 2011
Yellowstone's Plume Rediscovery
Geophysicists at the University of Utah have made the first large scale picture of the electrical conductivity of Yellowstone's gigantic underground plume. They propose that the plume is bigger then they earlier though. The completely new technique is like comparing an MRI and an Ultrasound scan, they are different types of imaging systems. The particular imaging system uses seismic waves from earthquakes to produce a very detailed image. Another part of observation is the electrical conductivity that used molten silicate rocks and hot briny water to also see down to 200 miles deep. This system is particular useful since the plume at Yellowstone is highly conductive compared to the rock around it. The lesser tilt of the geoelectric plume image raises the possibility that the seismically imaged plume, shaped somewhat like a tilted tornado, may be enveloped by a broader, underground sheath of partly molten rock and liquids.
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