It's not uncommon to see folds associated with thrusts in the Rockies and other mountain belts. Folding of a sequence of rock layers can cause their inversion. Erosion of part of the sequence may leave only the inverted section exposed.
(Example).
Posted on 01/14/2008 3:56:48 PM PST by NormsRevenge
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. - Tsunami-like waves created by an earthquake may have triggered the world's largest known hydrothermal explosion some 13,000 years ago, a federal scientist says.
The explosion created the Mary Bay crater that stretches more than one mile across along the north edge of Yellowstone Lake. Debris from the explosion has been found miles away.
Lisa Morgan of the U.S. Geological Survey told a gathering of scientists over the weekend at Mammoth Hot Springs that an earthquake may have displaced more than 77 million cubic feet of water in Yellowstone Lake, creating huge waves that essentially unsealed a capped geothermal system.
Though much has been made in recent years of a possible eruption of Yellowstone's "super volcano," geologists studying the park have long said that the likelihood is greater for a large hydrothermal explosion.
Morgan said that over the last 14,000 years there have been 20 hydrothermal explosions in Yellowstone that mostly left craters bigger than football fields. They resulted in well-known Yellowstone landmarks such as Mary Bay, Turbid Lake and Indian Pond, all near the north edge of Yellowstone Lake.
The explosions happen when hot water just below the surface flashes into steam and breaks through the surface.
Smaller explosions in Yellowstone happen about once every two years but rarely when people are around or in danger, according to a 2007 hazard assessment produced by USGS.
In 1989, an explosion at Porkchop geyser at Norris Geyser Basin sent rocks and debris flying more than 200 feet.
But geologists are still trying to better understand the larger explosions that happen about once every 700 years in Yellowstone and have left behind the biggest hydrothermal explosion craters in the world.
At Mary Bay, Morgan said she thinks there were at least two big waves before the explosion. Evidence of those waves has been found more than 3 miles north of the lake's edge, she said.
The explosion's column may have reached more than a mile in the air and spread debris across some 18 square miles, she said.
"You would not want to be here when this occurred," Morgan said.
Predicting if or when another will happen remains difficult but it's worthy of continued study, scientists involved with Yellowstone's geology said.
"It's something we should take notice of," Morgan said.
Apperantly it was blasted into the air from Yellowstone and came down north of Cody, upside down.
Now that was some blast.
I hope everyone was alright.
They weren’t all right. Any survivors left the region for a long time.
13,000 years ago,
Sorry. I forgot the sarcasm tag.
So did I. :)
I hope everyone was alright.
Paleowomen and Paleochildren hardest hit.
Paleobush’s fault line.
Thanks. What a concidence...I’m presently watching a Toba Super-Volcano documentary on the National Geographic Channel.
A blast indeed!
In the southern hemisphere, geologists tell us that a massive tnsunami once rose up and hit the south east coast of Australia. It tore through what is now Sydney and all the coastal cities, and actually rose above the Blue Mountains and smashed up the other side, far inland. Unimaginable.
But if there are massive volcanic explosions in Yellowstone, or in the Pacific trough between Australia and New Zealand, one would see such things again. Or not see them - as one would be lying dead on the ground.
Also, the Holy Land is overdue for a good earthquake, so say the experts.
"On New Zealand's South Island, according to Wollongong University geologist Edward Bryant, are several Maori legends that allude to unimaginable catastrophe. Tales about the falling of the sky, raging winds, fire-storms from space, massive waves and floods. Tales of how the moa, the emu-like New Zealand flightless bird, was killed off by the man/god Tamaatea, who set fire to the land by dropping embers from the sky.
It is rising more on the North side of the lake, so it is spilling water out the south end. It is enough to kill the trees close to the lake.
There are lava flows nearby in Idaho where you can see old lava beds one on top of the other. They are at an angle to each other so you can see the deepest one is badly weathered, the middle one is weathered but not as much.
The top one looks really fresh. I guess it is thousands of years old, but it looks very fresh.
If you fly over Yellowstone, the old volcano is really visible. I haven't looked at it in Google Earth, but I imagine it is like flying over it.
How did the formation layers get to be inverted?
It's not uncommon to see folds associated with thrusts in the Rockies and other mountain belts. Folding of a sequence of rock layers can cause their inversion. Erosion of part of the sequence may leave only the inverted section exposed.
(Example).
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Interesting. If something like that happened today, many people would be dead.
Wasn’t 13,000 ya in the middle of a period of glacial advance?
That could be,, have to check for sure.. would have made one heck of a mess..
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