HR: 10:40h
AN: V52C-02    [Abstracts]
TI: Geothermal Monitoring in Yellowstone National Park
AU: * Heasler, H P
EM: henry_heasler@nps.gov
AF: Yellowstone Center For Resources, Building 27, Yellowstone NP, Wy 82190-0168, United States
AU: Jaworowski, C
EM: cheryl_jaworowski@nps.gov
AF: Yellowstone Center For Resources, Building 27, Yellowstone NP, Wy 82190-0168, United States
AU: Susong, D D
EM: ddsusong@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, 2329 West Orton Circle, West Valley City, Ut 84119-2047, United States
AU: Lowenstern, J B
EM: jlwnstrn@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, McKelvey Building, 345 Middlefield Road, Mail Stop 91, Menlo Park, Ca 94025-3561, United States
AB: When the first exploring parties surveyed the Yellowstone region in the late 19^th Century, it was the geologic wonders - geysers, hot springs, mudpots, fumaroles - that captured their imaginations. Because of these treasures, the U.S. Congress set aside and dedicated this land of "natural curiosities" as the world's first "public pleasuring ground". Protection of Yellowstone's unique geothermal features is a key mission of Yellowstone National Park as mandated by U. S. Congressional law. In response to that mandate, the Yellowstone National Park Geology Program developed a peer-reviewed, Geothermal Monitoring Plan in 2003. With partial Congressional funding of the Plan in 2005, implementation of a scientific monitoring effort began. Yellowstone's scientific geothermal monitoring effort includes the acquisition of time-temperature data using electronic data loggers, basic water quality data, chloride flux data, estimates of radiative heat flux using airborne, thermal infrared imagery, geothermal gas monitoring, and the monitoring of groundwater wells. Time- temperature data are acquired for geysers, hot springs, steam vents, wells, rivers, and the ground. Uses of the time-temperature data include public safety, calibrating airborne thermal infrared-imagery, monitoring selected thermal features for potential hydrothermal explosions, and determining the spatial and temporal changes in thermal areas. Since 2003, upgrades of Yellowstone's stream gaging network have improved the spatial and temporal precision of the chloride flux, water quality, and groundwater components of the Geothermal Monitoring Plan. All of these methods serve both for geothermal monitoring and volcano monitoring as part of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. A major component of the Geothermal Monitoring Plan is remote sensing of the Yellowstone volcano and its active hydrothermal areas at various scales. The National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis at the University of Montana and the USDA Fire Sciences Lab acquired visible and mid-infrared (3-5 micron) airborne imagery (night and day flights) for Norris Geyser Basin during October 2005 and October 2006. The Remote Sensing Services Laboratory at Utah State University also acquired visible and thermal infrared (8-12 micron) airborne imagery (also day and night flights) for the Upper Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin and Lower Geyser Basin during 2005 and 2006. Montana State University collaborators are analyzing Landsat satellite imagery for park-wide estimates of radiant heat flux and change detection of active geothermal areas. Geothermal gas and groundwater well monitoring efforts were initiated in 2006. The geothermal gas monitoring instrumentation, developed with assistance from both the Yellowstone and Hawaiian Volcano Observatories, measures hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and basic weather parameters. A specially constructed well adjacent to the Norris Geyser Basin measures water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and water level.
DE: 1895 Instruments and techniques: monitoring
DE: 6615 Legislation and regulations (6324)
DE: 8419 Volcano monitoring (7280)
DE: 8424 Hydrothermal systems (0450, 1034, 3017, 3616, 4832, 8135)
SC: Volcanology, Geochemistry, Petrology [V]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting