Database for the Quaternary and Pliocene Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana

Data Series 551
By: , and 

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Abstract

The superlative hot springs, geysers, and fumarole fields of Yellowstone National Park are vivid reminders of a recent volcanic past. Volcanism on an immense scale largely shaped the unique landscape of central and western Yellowstone Park, and intimately related tectonism and seismicity continue even now. Furthermore, the volcanism that gave rise to Yellowstone's hydrothermal displays was only part of a long history of late Cenozoic eruptions in southern and eastern Idaho, northwestern Wyoming, and southwestern Montana. The late Cenozoic volcanism of Yellowstone National Park, although long believed to have occurred in late Tertiary time, is now known to have been of latest Pliocene and Pleistocene age. The eruptions formed a complex plateau of voluminous rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs and lavas, but basaltic lavas too have erupted intermittently around the margins of the rhyolite plateau. Volcanism almost certainly will recur in the Yellowstone National Park region. This digital release contains all the information used to produce the geologic maps published as plates in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 729-G (Christiansen, 2001). The main component of this digital release is a geologic map database prepared using geographic information systems (GIS) applications. This release also contains files to view or print the geologic maps and main report text from Professional Paper 729-G.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Database for the Quaternary and Pliocene Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana
Series title Data Series
Series number 551
DOI 10.3133/ds551
Edition Version 1.0
Year Published 2011
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Volcano Science Center
Description HTML Page, CD-ROM
Country United States
State Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details