Earth

4.8-magnitude earthquake in Yellowstone Park on March 30

March 30 earthquake was 4.8 magnitude
March 30 earthquake was 4.8 magnitude

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake lightly shook Yellowstone National Park earlier today (March 30). Eric Klemetti of Wired’s Eruptions blog said on Twitter:

Looks like it occurred north, outside the modern caldera boundary. Remember, the Yellowstone area is riddled with faults.

The U.S. Geological Survey gives details of the quake as follows:

Event Time
2014-03-30 12:34:39 UTC
2014-03-30 06:34:39 UTC-06:00 at epicenter

Location
44.778°N 110.683°W

Depth=6.8km (4.2mi)

Nearby Cities
37km (23mi) ENE of West Yellowstone, Montana
105km (65mi) SSE of Bozeman, Montana
138km (86mi) NE of Rexburg, Idaho
178km (111mi) NE of Ammon, Idaho
228km (142mi) SSE of Helena, Montana

Read more about the March 30 earthquake in Yellowstone from USGS

Read more about the March 30 earthquake in Yellowstone from University of Utah

From 2011: Underground plume of Yellowstone supervolcano bigger than thought

The biggest Yellowstone earthquake in recent times occurred on August 17, 1959. It was a 7.3-magnitude quake that caused over 28 fatalities and left $11 million in damage to highways and timber. The slide blocked the flow of the Madison River resulting in the creation of Quake Lake. Effects of the earthquake were also felt in Idaho and Wyoming.

The 1959 quake was the strongest and deadliest earthquake to hit Montana since the 1935-36 Helena earthquakes left 4 people dead.

The landscape of Yellowstone National Park is a manifestation of a hotspot below the crust of the Earth.  It is riddled with fault lines, hot springs and geysers, making it among the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S.  Image via Wikipedia.
The landscape of Yellowstone National Park is a manifestation of a hotspot below the crust of the Earth. Its hot springs and geysers make it among the most popular tourist attractions in the U.S. It is also riddled with fault lines, and earthquakes do occur. Image via Wikipedia.
Yellowstone National Park is riddled with faults, and thus earthquakes are common there.  Image via USGS
Yellowstone National Park is riddled with faults, and thus earthquakes are common there. Image via USGS

Bottom line: A 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook Yellowstone National Park on Sunday, March 30, 2014.

Read about the earthquake history of Wyoming from USGS

Posted 
March 30, 2014
 in 
Earth

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Deborah Byrd

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