Seismic Hazard Analysis of Yellowstone National Park

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Seismic Hazard Analysis of Yellowstone National
Park

• By Chris James

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Motivation/Importance

• Traveled through Yellowstone this past summer
• Important for natural hazard analysis
• Current research debate on how to apply two main
  methods for seismic analysis

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Background
Yellowstone became the nations first national
park on March 1, 1872. Ulysses S. Grant signed
the 2.2 million acre park into existence to be
set aside for the benefit and enjoyment of the
people. About 2.7 million visitors per year
visit the park.
The Park has long been a hotbed of seismic
activity, and is home to the worlds largest
restless caldera. Notable seismic activity has
occurred in the past half century. A peak
magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale happened on
August 15, 1959, killing 29 people and setting
off geyser activity in the Park that had never
been observed before.
Old Faithful
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Average Annual Occurrences of Earthquakes
Worldwide since 1900
Source www.neic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.
html
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Objectives

• Establish major earthquake epi-centers, and how
  far their effects reach
• Determine what frequently visited public zones
  are at risk based on epicenters and magnitude
• Identify whether these events are centralized in
  any particular areas.
• -Create a potential hazard map.

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Methods/Flow Chart
Download Vector Data
Clip
Digitize Epicenters
Join
Towns
Hiking Trails
Major Quakes
Attractions
Towns
Minor Quakes
Campsites
Buffer
Individual Buffer Rings
Clipping Fiesta
Major Quakes
Park Roads
Hiking Trails
Minor Quakes
Campsites
Towns
FINAL VALUES
Recalculate Length
Attractions
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Conclusions

• Many potential hazards within Yellowstone
  National Park
• Seismic activity is a dynamic process and is
  extremely hard to predict
• Main roads, hiking trails, major park
  attractions, towns, and campsites could be
  affected by earthquakes.
• Much of seismic activity in Park is of smaller
  magnitude, 3.0 or below, however history has
  proven that there is potential danger and even
  death from earthquakes of higher magnitude
• Education is the best means of protection and
  safety
• Definitely errors with digitizing of epicenters