Earthquakes continue to rattle Yellowstone National Park as 3.1 and 3.2 magnitude quakes were recorded on Wednesday and early Thursday this week, according to the Billings (Mont.) Gazette.
The University of Utah seismograph stations reported the magnitude 3.1 event at 12:52 p.m. Wednesday. The magnitude 3.2 occurred Thursday morning at 1:46. Both shocks were located about 9 miles southeast of West Yellowstone and about 10 miles northwest of Old Faithful and were reportedly felt in the park.
The earthquakes are the latest in a swarm that began Jan. 17. The largest quake in the swarm so far was a magnitude 3.8. Most of the 1,497 earthquakes in the swarm — 1,374 — have been less than magnitude 2. Twelve events were magnitude 3 or more, with 111 events of magnitude 2 to 3.
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists said the earthquakes are the result of slips on existing faults and are not caused by underground movement of magma. There is no indication of premonitory volcanic or hydrothermal activity.
