Estimating the heat flux from the Yellowstone volcanic system has been pursued in different ways over the past 50 years. Understanding the geothermal flux from Yellowstone is important for many reasons: heat and mass flux are an important part of determining the volcano's eruptive potential, and it has been suggested that changes in heat flux or hot brine migration may be correlated with inflation/deflation of the caldera floor or large seismic events. More fundamentally, the heat flux at the land surface is controlled by the quantity of heat entering the bottom of the system. The overall active heat budget of the Yellowstone caldera has been estimated in the past using chloride mass balance in spring discharges. This method is subject to assumptions and uncertainties. This project will explore the feasibility of a new method to infer mass and energy fluxes for Yellowstone hot springs. The team will use cross-correlation of spring and atmospheric temperatures that allow estimates for spring discharge (mass flux) and the inflow spring temperature (and hence enthalpy flux). Estimates of the advective mass and energy flux (using a time-series method) combined with the diffusive energy flux between springs will allow them to derive a comprehensive description of mass and energy fluxes between the shallow subsurface and the atmosphere.
The data to be obtained in this project will be used to improve estimates of heat and mass flux for the shallow hydrothermal system in the Yellowstone caldera. The methods that to be developed will define a template for future heat and mass balance studies of hydrothermal systems. It is expected that the methods to be employed in this study and the data to be gathered in the course of this project will be important to volcanic hazard assessment, as well as contributing to public education and enjoyment of Yellowstone and other national resources. It is also possible that the time-series method of evaluating heat and mass flux of hydrothermal springs as developed here could be approached via satellite-based telemetry. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the research and their training in this project will provide them with career-building opportunities. They will be well prepared to face societies future challenges with thoughtful solutions.
