“Beneath the steaming geysers and bubbling mud pots of Yellowstone National Park lies one of the world’s most closely watched volcanic systems. Now a team of geoscientists has uncovered new evidence that sheds light on how this mighty system may behave in the future – and what might keep it from erupting. A team of researchers from Rice University, University of New Mexico, University of Utah and the University of Texas at Dallas have discovered a sharp, volatile-rich cap just 3.8 kilometers beneath Yellowstone’s surface. This cap, made of magma, acts like a lid, helping to trap pressure and heat below it. Using innovative controlled-source seismic imaging and advanced computer models, their findings suggest that the Yellowstone magma reservoir is actively releasing gas while remaining in a stable state. The research, led by Rice’s Chenglong Duan and Brandon Schmandt along with collaborators, provides new insight into how magma, volatiles and fluids move within Earth’s crust,” says a recent press release from Rice University.