Is Yellowstone National Park closed? What to know after hydrothermal explosion

Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read

A hydrothermal explosion sent visitors at Yellowstone National Park running for safety on Tuesday, damaging the boardwalk but causing no immediate injuries, USA TODAY reports.

So, did the explosion shut down the park? Is it a sign of volcanic activity? Here's what to know.

Is Yellowstone National Park closed?

Not completely.

Overall, the park is open. However, the Biscuit Basin area near Sapphire Pool, where the explosion occurred, is temporarily closed for safety reasons, according to the National Park Service. This includes the parking lot and boardwalks. The full extent of the damage is unknown.

Where is Yellowstone National Park?

America's first national park, Yellowstone was established in 1872 and encompasses 2.2 million acres. The vast majority of the park sits in Wyoming. However, the park extends across Wyoming's borders into Montana and Idaho.

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What is a hydrothermal explosion?

Hydrothermal explosions are caused when water flashes into steam in an enclosed space, Lisa Morgan, emeritus research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, writes for the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles. A sudden drop in pressure leads to the expansion of high-temperature fluids, leading to an explosion.

The explosions "have emerged as one of the most important and least understood geologic hazards in Yellowstone National Park," Morgan writes.

Yellowstone is the hotbed for geologic hazards worldwide. Explosions occur as many as a couple of times a year, Michael Poland, the scientist-in-charge at the observatory, told USA TODAY for an article Tuesday.

The area northeast of Yellowstone Lake is home to the three largest-known hydrothermal explosion craters on earth, USA TODAY reports. Mary Bay, a crater formed 13,000 years ago, is the biggest at a mile and a half wide; Turbid Lake is a mile across and was formed 9,400 years ago; and Elliott’s Crater is nearly half a mile wide and was formed 8,000 years ago.

Is Yellowstone a volcano? Will it erupt soon?

Yellowstone is home to some of the planet's most active volcanic, hydrothermal and earthquake systems, according to the National Park Service, due to a shallow source of magma. This has created more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including approximately 500 geysers, the largest concentration of active geysers in the world.

The Yellowstone supervolcano last erupted 640,000 years ago, according to National Geographic, creating a caldera that measures 43 miles by 28 miles.

The National Park Service says an eruption of the Yellowstone volcano is unlikely anytime soon. However, it monitors seismic activity, volcanic gas concentrations, geothermal activity, and ground deformation to help ensure public safety.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Is Yellowstone closed after Biscuit Bay explosion? Here's what to know