Case study US
Yellowstone
Wyoming
Yellowstone’s hot springs and caldera sit above a long-lived volcanic system. Older volcanic centres across the Snake River Plain help trace its relationship with plate movement.
Preparing map style and visible tiles…
Location: 44.60°, -110.50°
Yellowstone lies within the North American Plate rather than on its edge. Heat supports an extensive hydrothermal system, while older volcanic centres extend southwest along the Snake River Plain. Their ages and locations help investigate movement of the plate relative to the underlying source.
Use the hotspots model to compare an age-progressive continental track with Hawaiʻi’s oceanic island chain. A hot-spring photograph shows an active hydrothermal feature; understanding deeper magma storage requires geophysical and geological measurements.
Exam-style question
How does the age pattern of calderas in the Snake River Plain support a hotspot under a moving plate?
Teacher hint: Relate the southwestward increase in volcanic age to plate movement over a long-lived source, while recognising that the source can also move.
Process labs
Sources
- USGS Yellowstone Volcano Observatory
- USGS hotspot track