Yellowstone Volcano Observatory facts for kids
Logo of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA |
| Website | https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/ |
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) is a special group that watches over volcanoes. Its main job is to keep an eye on the Yellowstone Caldera. This huge volcanic area is located inside Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
YVO also monitors other volcanic spots. These are found in the states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Like other volcano observatories in the U.S., YVO gets its funding from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This funding comes through their Volcano Hazards Program.
Contents
Who is Part of YVO?
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is made up of nine different groups. These groups work together to study and monitor the Yellowstone area.
Here are the member agencies:
- The USGS (United States Geological Survey)
- The University of Utah
- The University of Wyoming
- Yellowstone National Park
- The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
- The Wyoming State Geological Survey
- The Idaho Geological Survey
- Montana State University
- UNAVCO, Inc
How YVO Started
YVO began in 2001. At first, it was a partnership between three groups. These were the USGS, the University of Utah, and Yellowstone National Park. In 2013, the observatory grew. It then included all eight of the organizations that are part of it today.
What YVO Does
The main goal of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is very important. They work to understand and share information about the Yellowstone volcano system.
According to the YVO website, their main purposes are:
- To watch the volcanic system closely.
- To learn more about Yellowstone's volcanoes and hot springs.
- To share their findings and knowledge with everyone.
Monitoring the Volcano
In 2006, YVO created a special plan for monitoring. This plan helped improve the equipment used to study the area. The Plate Boundary Observatory and the USGS used this plan. They made upgrades with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Emergency Response Plan
YVO also published its first emergency plan in 2008. This plan sets out rules for how they collect data. It also explains how they make decisions during geological events at Yellowstone. Scientists from the different partner groups form teams. These teams look at data about the ground and its movements. The plan also describes how YVO works with emergency response systems.
Sharing Information
YVO provides regular updates to the public. They post a monthly update on their website. They also release special statements if important events happen between their normal updates.
All updates are listed on the VHP Alert Page. People can also sign up to get automatic updates. This is done through the Volcano Notification Service.
Yellowstone in Movies
In 2005, a TV movie called Supervolcano was released. This movie imagined what would happen if the Yellowstone Caldera had a huge eruption. The producer of the film, Ailsa Orr, said that YVO scientists inspired the main characters. A YVO scientist even wrote about the excitement around Yellowstone's volcanoes in a magazine article that same year.
See also
In Spanish: Observatorio Vulcanológico de Yellowstone para niños
