#yellowstone

All articles tagged with "yellowstone"

A glowing lake of lava emits steam which partially obscures a forest behind the steam.

Yellowstone May Be Driven More by Crustal Shifts Than a Deep Magma Plume, Study Suggests

New research described in the supplied source text argues that Yellowstone’s volcanic behavior may be powered more by shifts in Earth’s crust than by a deep mantle-fed magma source.

Key Takeaways

New research suggests Yellowstone’s volcanic activity may be driven more by crustal shifts than a deep magma source.
The finding challenges a long-running debate over whether a mantle plume is the dominant driver.

DT Editorial Team·May 3, 2026·via livescience.com

A New Yellowstone Study Challenges the Classic Mantle Plume Explanation

Research highlighted this week argues that Yellowstone may be powered less by a deep mantle plume than by crust-opening stresses linked to the long disappearance of the Farallon plate beneath North America.

Key Takeaways

A new paper argues Yellowstone may be powered by crust-opening stresses tied to the long disappearance of the Farallon plate.
The proposal challenges the standard interpretation of Yellowstone as a straightforward mantle plume hotspot.

DT Editorial Team·Apr 11, 2026·via arstechnica.com