Scientists eye unusual swarm of Yellowstone quakes

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Yellowstone National Park was jostled by a host of
small earthquakes for a third straight day Monday, and scientists
watched closely to see whether the more than 250 tremors were a sign of
something bigger to come. Swarms of small earthquakes happen frequently
in Yellowstone, but it's very unusual for so many earthquakes to happen
over several days, said Robert Smith, a professor of geophysics at the
University of Utah.
“They're certainly not normal,” Smith said. “We haven't had earthquakes
in this energy or extent in many years.”
Smith directs the Yellowstone Seismic Network, which operates seismic
stations around the park. He said the quakes have ranged in strength
from barely detectable to one of magnitude 3.8 that happened Saturday.
A magnitude 4 quake is capable of producing moderate damage.
“This is an active volcanic and tectonic area, and these are the kinds
of things we have to pay attention to,” Smith said. “We might be seeing
something precursory.
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