Cross-section of Yellowstone Plume (IMAGE)
Caption
This is a cross section of the plume of hot and molten rock that tops out about 50 miles beneath Yellowstone National Park, and tilts downward to the northwest to a depth of at least 410 miles. The plume is mostly hot rock with about 1 to 2 percent molten rock. Researches believe "blobs" of hot rock slowly detach from the top of the plume and rise upward to recharge the magma chamber that lies from 3.7 to 10 miles beneath Yellowstone. The chamber is also mostly hot rock, but with a sponge-like structure containing about 8 to 15 percent molten rock.
Credit
University of Utah
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