New study finds 10 times more seismic activity in Yellowstone using AI

A recent study led by Professor Bing Li from Western University, Canada, utilized machine learning to analyze 15 years of seismic data from the Yellowstone Caldera, revealing approximately 86,276 earthquakes between 2008 and 2022—about ten times more events than previously recorded. This expanded earthquake catalogue offers a significantly improved understanding of Yellowstone’s seismic activity, highlighting that over half of these earthquakes occur as swarms, which are clusters of small, interconnected tremors occurring within confined areas over short periods. These swarms differ from typical aftershock sequences and provide new insights into the complex underground dynamics of the caldera. The study also found that earthquake swarms beneath Yellowstone occur along relatively young, rough fault structures, contrasting with the smoother, more developed faults in regions like southern California. This distinction helps clarify the unique seismic behavior of Yellowstone. The application of machine learning enabled the detection of many smaller seismic events that manual analysis previously missed, making it possible to build a more comprehensive and reliable seismic catalogue. This