YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — University of Utah scientists discovered a new magma reservoir underneath Yellowstone. The reservoir of partly molten rock is 12 to 28 miles beneath the Yellowstone supervolcano, and it is 4.4 times larger than the shallower, known magma chamber.

The discovery of an additional magma reservoir does not increase the risk of an eruption, says scientists. But they now have a better picture of Yellowstone’s volcanic system using new techniques and imaging.

This plumbing system supplies hot and partly molten rock from the Yellowstone hotspot to the supervolcano. The magma chamber, which lies on top of the reservoir, actually draws magma from the reservoir and is responsible for fueling the geysers of Yellowstone. This includes the Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone’s thermal areas.

This new science will provide experts with a better understanding of these complex crustal systems. It will also help them to better understand Yellowstone’s past eruptions (spanning 2 million years), some of the largest on earth! This research was published in the journal Science.