[ Volcano ] [USGS] YVO Information Statement 20140330_1031

YELLOWSTONE VOLCANO OBSERVATORY INFORMATION STATEMENT
Sunday, March 30, 2014 10:31 AM MDT (Sunday, March 30, 2014 16:31 UTC)

YELLOWSTONE VOLCANO (VNUM #325010)
N4425 W11040, Summit Elevation 9203 ft (2805 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL
Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN

The University of Utah, a YVO member agency, sent out the following press release about a
magnitude 4.8 earthquake that occurred this morning at 6:34 AM MDT.

PRESS RELEASE
University of Utah Seismograph Stations
Released: March 30, 2014 08:15 AM MDT

The University of Utah Seismograph Stations reports that a light earthquake occurred at
06:34 AM on March 30, 2014 (MDT).  The epicenter of the magnitude 4.8 shock was located 4
miles north-northeast of Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.  This
earthquake is part of a series of earthquakes that began in this area on Thursday, March
27.  As of 8:15 am today, this series has included at least 25 earthquakes in addition to
the main shock, with the largest of magnitude 3.1.  The magnitude 4.8 main shock was
reported felt in Yellowstone National Park and in the towns of West
Yellowstone and Gardiner, Montana.

Anyone who felt the earthquake is encouraged to fill out a survey form on either the
Seismograph stations web site: www.quake.utah.edu or the U.S. Geological Survey web site:
earthquake.usgs.gov.

____________________________________________________________________

Today's event is the largest earthquake at Yellowstone since February 22, 1980, and
occurred near the center of a region of recent ground uplift described in a YVO
Information Statement on February 18, 2014. The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory has been
tracking this uplift episode for about 7 months.

As discussed in the March 3, 2014 YVO Monthly Update, seismicity in the general region of
the uplift has been elevated for several months.   A previous period of uplift in this
area occurred between 1996 and 2003, and it was also accompanied by elevated seismicity.

A USGS field team is in Yellowstone and will visit the area near the earthquake's
epicenter today. The team will look for any surface changes that the earthquake may have
caused, and for possible effects to the hydrothermal system at Norris Geyser Basin.

Based on the style and location of today's earthquake, at this time YVO sees no
indication of additional geologic activity other than continuing seismicity.

The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) provides long-term monitoring of volcanic and
earthquake activity in the Yellowstone National Park region. Yellowstone is the site of
the largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world and the
first National Park. YVO is one of the five USGS Volcano Observatories that monitor
volcanoes within the United States for science and public safety.

YVO Member agencies: USGS, Yellowstone National Park, University of Utah, University of
Wyoming, UNAVCO, Inc., Wyoming State Geological Survey, Montana Bureau of Mines and
Geology, Idaho Geological Survey

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jacob Lowenstern, Scientist-in-Charge
jlwnstrn@usgs.gov

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