Yellowstone Supervolcano 'Turned the Asphalt Into Soup' Shutting Down Natl. Park's Roads

[Ronin Truth]

Yellowstone Supervolcano 'Turned the Asphalt Into Soup' Shutting Down Natl. Park's Roads

By Russia Today

RT.com

July 15, 2014

Extreme heat from a massive supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park is melting a major roadway at the popular summertime tourist attraction. Park officials have closed the area to visitors.

Firehole Lake Drive, a 3-mile-plus offshoot of the park’s Grand Loop that connects the Old Faithful geyser and the Madison Junction, is currently off limits. Park operators say the danger of stepping on seemingly solid soil into severely hot water is “high.”

“It basically turned the asphalt into soup. It turned the gravel road into oatmeal,” Yellowstone spokesman Dan Hottle said.

The affected roadway offers access to the Great Fountain Geyser, White Dome Geyser, and Firehole Lake.

“There are plenty of other great places to see thermal features in the park,” park public affairs chief Al Nash told The Weather Channel. “I wouldn’t risk personal injury to see these during this temporary closure.”

While thermal activity under the park often gives way to temperature fluctuations that can soften asphalt throughout Yellowstone, Hottle said the latest wave seems worse than usual.

“But it’s hard to tell if a thermal area is hotter than normal, because it’s always fluctuating here,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Road closures are business as usual for us.”

Maintenance workers now must lift the melted asphalt from the roadway, then apply sand and lime to soak up any remains, according to Hottle.

The spokesman said he hopes the road will be reopened by next week, adding that he does not believe the activity will significantly curb visits to the park.

Yellowstone’s supervolcano last erupted about 640,000 years ago, according to US Geological Survey records.

Last December, geologists reported that the magma reservoir under the supervolcano is two-and-a-half times larger than previous estimates.

“That’s not to say it’s getting any bigger,” said analysis team scientist James Farrell of the University of Utah. “It’s just that our ability to see it is getting better.”

The supervolcano has the potential to spew more than 240 cubic miles (1,000 cubic kilometers) of magma across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

“We believe it will erupt again someday, but we have no idea when,” Farrell told National Geographic.
In March, a viral video of bison stampeding through the park gave rise to rumors of an imminent eruption.

In early April, scientists and park officials debunked the fears, saying the bison run was a natural migratory occurrence, not a sign of impending volcanic activity. That very same week, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook the northwest section of the park, marking the largest seismic activity at Yellowstone since 1980.

The earthquake occurred near “an area or ground uplift tied to the upward movement of molten rock in the super-volcano, whose mouth, or caldera, is 50 miles long and 30 miles wide,” Reuters reported at the time.

The uplift does not make volcanic activity more likely, though, according to Peter Cervelli, associate director for science and technology at the US Geological Survey’s Volcano Science Center in California.

“The chance of that happening in our lifetimes is exceedingly insignificant,” he said.

Reprinted with permission from Russia Today.
The Best of Russia Today

http://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/07/russia-today/the-yellowstone-supervolcano-is-heating-up/

How pathetic, it seems that we're getting more and better USA news coverage from Russia Today than from the Amerikan MSM.

 

[TheCount]

How pathetic, it seems that we're getting more and better USA news coverage from Russia Today than from the Amerikan MSM.

It's not better, it just says what you want to hear: Doom, and also the US is terrible.


(PS: Did you notice that their story is 50% quotes from "Amerikan MSM" articles on the same topic? Obviously it's being covered.)

 

[RonPaulIsGreat]

If that thing blows and you are far enough away not to be destroyed or swallowed in ash quickly, Speeeeeeeed to the grocery store, if it's closed break the windows, get every can good you can get... LOL. Seriously that super volcano will cause years of faminine, and LONGGGGG COOOOLLLLDDDD winters. People will turn cannibal fast.

Forget about the dollar collapse, that would be a walk in the park, the super volcano blowing would be billions dead.

I'm far enough away it would take hours for the ash to get here, and by then my checking account will be 99% depleted, and the floors in here will be sagging from all the rice, and canned goods.

Of Course that is if the internet still works, but I always have a couple thousand in cash, just in case.

 

[Ronin Truth]

It's not better, it just says what you want to hear: Doom, and also the US is terrible.


(PS: Did you notice that their story is 50% quotes from "Amerikan MSM" articles on the same topic? Obviously it's being covered.)

I hadn't seen or heard anything from the main stream TV newsertainment before the OP on LRC.

 

[Ronin Truth]

If that thing blows and you are far enough away not to be destroyed or swallowed in ash quickly, Speeeeeeeed to the grocery store, if it's closed break the windows, get every can good you can get... LOL. Seriously that super volcano will cause years of faminine, and LONGGGGG COOOOLLLLDDDD winters. People will turn cannibal fast.

Forget about the dollar collapse, that would be a walk in the park, the super volcano blowing would be billions dead.

I'm far enough away it would take hours for the ash to get here, and by then my checking account will be 99% depleted, and the floors in here will be sagging from all the rice, and canned goods.

Of Course that is if the internet still works, but I always have a couple thousand in cash, just in case.

I've read and heard enough about the potential dangers to be watchful, concerned and on semi-alert. From the maps I've seen, I think I'm outside the predicted blast radius and ash fallout zone. I have some cash on hand too, just in case a number of scenarios. Who knows? Stay tuned!

 

[jmdrake]

Somehow this is all tied to carbon emissions.

 

[Ronin Truth]

Somehow this is all tied to carbon emissions.

LOL! Undoubtedly, isn't everything?!

 

[ctiger2]

Thank the lord I'm not in the ash map. I used to be!

 

[Matt Collins]

The chance that it goes in our lifetimes is extremely remote... astronomically remote

 

[Ronin Truth]

The chance that it goes in our lifetimes is extremely remote... astronomically remote

What's the historic Yellowstone eruption cycle time? I think I've heard that we're close to overdue.

 

[pcosmar]

The chance that it goes in our lifetimes is extremely remote... astronomically remote

Any time
As in, any time is as good as any other time..
They said the same for Mt. St Helen.. though some were warning of impending eruption.

If they knew it was going to blow they would say nothing about it. If a warning went out it would be disparaged.
1. they do not want to lose revenue.
2. they do not want a panic.
3. they do not want people prepared.

To me,, it is just another of many variables,, but I have no interest in being in the vicinity.

 

[Zippyjuan]

From the article:

“But it’s hard to tell if a thermal area is hotter than normal, because it’s always fluctuating here,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Road closures are business as usual for us.”

Which helps explain why it wasn't on the front page of the news.

 

[Ronin Truth]

Any time
As in, any time is as good as any other time..
They said the same for Mt. St Helen.. though some were warning of impending eruption.

If they knew it was going to blow they would say nothing about it. If a warning went out it would be disparaged.
1. they do not want to lose revenue.
2. they do not want a panic.
3. they do not want people prepared.

To me,, it is just another of many variables,, but I have no interest in being in the vicinity.

Maybe some folks are planning for an after eruption mega tourist attraction on a Pompeii-esque theme.

 

[pcosmar]

From the article:


Which helps explain why it wasn't on the front page of the news.

Really,,

While thermal activity under the park often gives way to temperature fluctuations that can soften asphalt throughout Yellowstone, Hottle said the latest wave seems worse than usual.

“But it’s hard to tell if a thermal area is hotter than normal, because it’s always fluctuating here,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Road closures are business as usual for us.”

How often do they replace that road due to it melting?

every year? once or twice in the past? Never?

I am not a big fan of Baghdad Bob style public information officers.

 

[Matt Collins]

Any time
As in, any time is as good as any other time..
They said the same for Mt. St Helen.. though some were warning of impending eruption.

If they knew it was going to blow they would say nothing about it. If a warning went out it would be disparaged.
1. they do not want to lose revenue.
2. they do not want a panic.
3. they do not want people prepared.

To me,, it is just another of many variables,, but I have no interest in being in the vicinity.

If one was traveling or visiting there, there would be more than enough warning signs to get the hell out. If one lives in the vicinity, to evacuate I don't think would be a problem. However to actually move one's house... not sure how advanced the warnings will be.... obviously increased thermal and geological activity... but weeks or months in advance, or days and hours? it would be interesting to get a geologist perspective.

 

[Dr.3D]

Really,,




How often do they replace that road due to it melting?

every year? once or twice in the past? Never?

I am not a big fan of Baghdad Bob style public information officers.

If they had to replace it every year, they might be ahead if they just used concrete for the job.

 

[Ronin Truth]

YELLOWSTONE SUPERVOLCANO GETTING READY TO BLOW ITS CORK ?

updated 12-12-13​

http://www.earthmountainview.com/yellowstone/yellowstone.htm

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en.....1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..50.9.2782.P8Tmt6VeZpY

 

[pcosmar]

If they had to replace it every year, they might be ahead if they just used concrete for the job.

I don't see it as normal,, and have no idea how often it has happened in the past..

Asphalt will soften in extreme heat,, and has elsewhere during heatwaves..

But ambient temps have been lower than normal lately,, and they had snow late in the season there.
Add to that, the increased seismic activity (Largest quake in 30 years) and rising dome.. also increased recently.
And reports that the underground Magma is 2.5 times as large as they had previously thought..

The whole "nothing to see here" reporting is a bit suspicious.. It does bear watching.

 

[Ronin Truth]

I don't see it as normal,, and have no idea how often it has happened in the past..

Asphalt will soften in extreme heat,, and has elsewhere during heatwaves..

But ambient temps have been lower than normal lately,, and they had snow late in the season there.
Add to that, the increased seismic activity (Largest quake in 30 years) and rising dome.. also increased recently.
And reports that the underground Magma is 2.5 times as large as they had previously thought..

The whole "nothing to see here" reporting is a bit suspicious.. It does bear watching.

I'd guess that the bears are now watching from a greater distance away.

 

[pcosmar]

it would be interesting to get a geologist perspective.

I'm not sure that would help much. Especially if they are employed by those with an interest in obfuscation.
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/

Do helium emissions at Yellowstone signal an impending eruption?
No. YVO Scientist-in-Charge Jacob Lowenstern and colleagues recently published research on helium (He) emissions at Yellowstone in the journal Nature. The new research looked at apparent changes in the helium output of the Yellowstone area during its two-million-year volcanic history, compared with the previous two billion years of comparative stability.

two billion years of comparative stability? I would like to see those 2 billion year old records,, and the recording equipment used.