That Hot Spot Below Yellowstone National Park

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Earlier this month we told you about new studies into the size of the "hot spot" that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park. Well, check out this short video that portrays that magma plume in 3D.

The latest mapping shows the "hot spot" that fuels Yellowstone's geothermal features is more than 400 miles deep, and might have been responsible for volcanic activity in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho 17 million years ago. The mapping contradicts previous theories that Yellowstone's geothermal features were powered by a relatively shallow -- perhaps 250 miles deep -- hot spot.

This video, prepared by University of Utah researchers, gives you a great idea for how that hot spot sits beneath the park. Before you play the video, look at the accompanying photo that depicts the hot spot.