U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Circular 1351

Version 2.0, November 2014

Prepared in cooperation with Yellowstone National Park, the University of Utah, the University 

of Wyoming, the Idaho Geological Survey, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, the 

Wyoming State Geological Survey, and UNAVCO

Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone 

Volcano Observatory
Cover: Images clockwise from upper left: Schematic organization of an Incident Command incorporating 

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. 

University of Utah and Yellowstone National Park staff during wintertime equipment deployment.

Example of data routing for monitoring data from Yellowstone Seismic Network.

Logo of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response 

by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

By the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

Circular 1351

Version 2.0, November 2014

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia

First release: 2010

Revised and reprinted: November 2014 (ver. 2.0)

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its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit 

http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS

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visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov

Suggested citation:

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2014, Protocols for geologic hazards response by the Yellowstone Volcano

 Observatory (ver. 2.0, November 2014): U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1351, 16 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1351.

Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply 

endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain

copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be 

secured from the copyright owner.

ISSN: 1067-084X (print)

ISSN: 2330-5703 (online)
 iii

Contents

Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................1

1. Introduction and Scope ............................................................................................................................1

1a. Purpose of Plan...............................................................................................................................1

1b. Organization of YVO .......................................................................................................................3

1c. Monitoring Systems .......................................................................................................................4

2. Geologic Unrest, Alert Levels, and Information Products ..................................................................4

2a. Notification System for Volcanic Activity...................................................................................4

2b. Event Response...............................................................................................................................5

2c. Written Information Products.......................................................................................................5

3. YVO and the National Incident Management System .........................................................................6

4. Event Response..........................................................................................................................................6

4a. Declaring an Event Response ......................................................................................................6

4b. Relation of YVO Event Response to Incident Command System............................................6

4c. Internal organization of YVO during a response .......................................................................6

Monitoring Group.........................................................................................................................7

Information Group........................................................................................................................9

Support, logistics and external research ................................................................................9

4d. Calldown and Related Communications Lists..........................................................................10

4e. Information Releases...................................................................................................................10

5. Alert Notification Scheme and Decision Criteria ...............................................................................10

6. Scientific Oversight and Information Sharing.....................................................................................12

6a. Advisory Panel ..............................................................................................................................12

6b. YVO Log System............................................................................................................................12

7. Scenarios of Unrest and Initiation of Event Response......................................................................12

8. Summary and Protocols for Updating this Plan..................................................................................13

Glossary of Terminology and Acronyms ..................................................................................................15

Figures

1. Location map for Yellowstone National Park.....................................................................................2

2. Organization chart of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory................................................................3

3. Charts showing the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program system for volcano 

alert levels......................................................................................................................................5

4. Hypothetical organization chart of an Incident Command System during an event response 

at the Yellowstone Caldera .........................................................................................................7

5. Chart showing Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Branch Organization......................................8

6. Simplified calldown list for Yellowstone Volcano Observatory ....................................................11
iv 

Conversion Factors

SI to Inch/Pound

Multiply By To obtain

Length

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

Area

square meter (m2

) 0.0002471 acre 

square meter (m2

) 10.76 square foot (ft2) 

Volume

liter (L) 0.2642 gallon (gal)

Flow rate

liter per minute (L/m) 0.26 gallon per minute (gal/min) 

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F=(1.8×°C)+32.

Datum

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).
Executive Summary

The Yellowstone Plateau hosts an active volcanic system, 

with subterranean magma (molten rock), boiling, pressurized 

waters, and a variety of active faults with significant earthquake 

hazards. Within the next few decades, light-to-moderate 

earthquakes and steam explosions are certain to occur. Volcanic 

eruptions are less likely, but are ultimately inevitable in this 

active volcanic region. This document summarizes protocols, 

policies, and tools to be used by the Yellowstone Volcano 

Observatory (YVO) during earthquakes, hydrothermal 

explosions, or any geologic activity that could lead to a volcanic 

eruption.

As needed, YVO will be an advisor within the National 

Incident Management System. The YVO Branch within the 

Plans Section of the Incident Command will consist of two 

prescribed groups (Monitoring and Information). The two 

groups and their subsidiary teams form a scalable system to 

respond to a variety of scenarios of geologic and volcanic 

unrest. The YVO response will be led by the YVO Branch 

Chief (also known as the Scientist-in-Charge) with the 

assistance of group supervisors and team leaders.

Formal alerts and information statements will be issued 

by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with 

YVO member agencies and through standard telephone and 

Internet “calldown” lists. External communications will 

be coordinated by the public information team leader, in 

association with any Joint Information Center set up through 

the Incident Command. Internal communications will be 

handled through a computerized log system that can be used 

as an archive for public and non-public documents, and to 

provide a forum for discussion by observatory personnel and 

collaborators.

Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the 

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

By the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory1

1

This report was prepared jointly by the attendees of the Yellowstone 

Volcano Observatory planning meeting. Attendees include Jacob B. Lowenstern, John Bellini, Dan Dzurisin, John Eichelberger, Margaret Mangan, 

Jill McCarthy, Manuel Nathenson, and Willie Scott of the U.S. Geological 

Survey; Henry Heasler, Michael Keator, Christine Lehnertz, and Tom Olliff of 

Yellowstone National Park; Robert B. Smith, Walter Arabasz, Relu Burlacu, Dave Drobeck, Jamie Farrell, and Michael Thorne of the University of 

Utah; Roy Breckenridge of the Idaho Geological Survey; Edmund Deal, and 

Michael Stickney of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology; Allory Deiss 

and Ron Surdam of the Wyoming State Geological Survey; and Mike Jackson 

and Dave Mencin of UNAVCO. Tina Neal and Cynthia Gardner of the U.S. 

Geological Survey reviewed this report. A revised version of the report (2014) 

was reviewed by Duane Champion and Tina Neal.

The response plan will be evaluated and updated every 

three years by the observatory and will be available through 

the YVO and USGS public websites. The calldown list will be 

updated at least once per year and placed on the internal log 

system.

1. Introduction and Scope

1a. Purpose of Plan

Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is centered on a 

youthful, active volcanic system in the northern Rocky 

Mountains of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho (fig. 1). Over 

the past 2.1 million years, three immense, explosive volcanic 

eruptions from the Yellowstone system have blanketed parts 

of the North American continent with ash and debris. Each 

of these eruptions created sizable calderas: basins formed by 

collapse of the ground after evacuation of subsurface magma 

reservoirs. The Yellowstone Caldera, which comprises nearly 

one-third of the land area in the park, formed 0.64 million 

years ago, and was followed by dozens of less explosive but 

extensive lava flows, the last of which occurred 70,000 years 

ago. Basin and range extension of the western United States 

has created a series of regional faults that are responsible for 

large and devastating earthquakes in the Yellowstone region, 

along the Teton and Hebgen Lake Faults. The most recent was 

a devastating Ms

 7.5 earthquake in 1959 that killed 28 people. 

Yellowstone’s famous geothermally heated waters create 

fabulous hot springs and geysers, but occasionally explode 

catastrophically to create hydrothermal (steam) explosion 

craters found throughout the park.

In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), YNP, and 

the University of Utah (UU) joined to form the Yellowstone 

Volcano Observatory (YVO). In 2013, the observatory was 

expanded to include other institutions, including UNAVCO, 

the three state geological surveys of Montana, Idaho and 

Wyoming, and the University of Wyoming (fig. 2). YVO 

provides professional and critical earth-science expertise, 

operates modern monitoring facilities, processes and interprets 

seismic and ground deformation signals, and rapidly assesses 

the significance of geologic processes that may threaten 

infrastructure, visitors to YNP, and the public beyond its 
2 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

Mammoth/YNP 

 Headquarters

Hebgen Lake 

 

To Grand Teton

National Park 

 

 Norris

Geyser Basin 

 Gibbon R.

 Canyon 

 Grant

 Village

111.0 ̊ 110.5 ̊

45.0 ̊

44.5 ̊

44.0 ̊

110.0 ̊

Yellowstone

Lake

0

0

10 20 30 40 50 KILOMETERS

5 10 20 30 MILES

5

Figure 1. Location map for Yellowstone National Park, including Yellowstone Caldera, roads, state and national park boundaries and 

place names mentioned in this document.
1. Introduction and Scope 3

UU/UUSS

University

Wyoming

MBMG

WSGS

IGS

UNAVCO

USGS

Yellowstone

National Park

ORGANIZATION OF YVO

s6OLCANO3CIENCE#ENTER63#	

s.ATIONAL%ARTHQUAKE)NFORMATION#ENTER.%)#	

s.ATIONAL7ATER)NFORMATION3YSTEM.7)3	

s/THER53'33TAFF

s3EISMOLOGYAND!CTIVE4ECTONICS2ESEARCH'ROUP

s5NIVERSITYOF5TAH3EISMOGRAPH3TATIONS5533	

s%ARTHQUAKE3TUDIES/FFICE

s-ONTANA2EGIONAL3EISMIC.ETWORK

s(AZARDS-APPING7ATER2ESOURCES

s)NFORMATION-ANAGEMENTAND4ECHNOLOGY

s'EOLOGIC(AZARDS'EOLOGIC-APPING

s%ARTH3CIENCE%DUCATION

s$EPTOF'EOLOGYAND'EOPHYSICS

s0LATE"OUNDARY/BSERVATORY0"/	

s9ELLOWSTONE#ENTERFOR2ESOURCES9#2	

96/-%-"%2!'%.#)%3

COLLABORATORS

PRIMARY

34!+%(/,$%23

s0UBLIC

s&%-!$(3

s&!!

s3TATEANDLOCAL

EMERGENCYMANAGERS

3CIENTIST
IN
#HARGE

5NIVERSITY2ESEARCHERS

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.ATIONAL7EATHER3ERVICE

Figure 2. Organization chart of Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO). The YVO member agencies are the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS), Yellowstone National Park (YNP), University of Utah (UU), University of Wyoming (UW), MBMG (Montana Bureau of Mines and 

Geology), WSGS (Wyoming State Geological Survey), IGS (Idaho Geological Survey), and UNAVCO. Collaborators include the National 

Science Foundation, university researchers, the National Weather Service and IRIS (Integrated Research Institutes for Seismology). 

Stakeholders include the general public, FEMA/DHS (Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Homeland 

Security), the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), and state and local emergency managers.

borders. YVO provides the necessary information and support 

to respond rapidly to geologic hazards at Yellowstone and can 

respond to requests for information from park management, 

civil authorities, the media, and the public.

Emergency-response readiness is a key responsibility of 

the USGS Volcano Hazards Program (VHP) stemming from 

a 1974 congressional mandate that the USGS issue “timely 

warnings” of potential hazards to responsible emergencymanagement authorities and the public. Both YVO and its 

parent, the USGS VHP, must maintain capabilities and protocol 

for the rapid deployment of staff and equipment during periods 

of seismic, hydrothermal, or volcanic unrest at YNP. This 

plan provides a basic framework for emergency response by 

YVO that will be used during periods of geologic unrest at 

YNP. An initial response plan was published in 2010 (YVO, 

2010). This revision incorporates organizational changes to 

both the observatory and to some of the member institutions. 

In addition, it reflects recommendations provided by Pierson 

and others (2013), in their after-action report of a readiness 

(“table-top”) exercise held in 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah. As 

with the original response plan, this one is intentionally inwardfocused, identifying the structures and protocols for use within 

the incident-command, emergency-response structure utilized 

by YNP. Other documents may concentrate more on plans 

and communications with other land-management and civil 

authorities at local, State, and Federal levels.

1b. Organization of YVO

Although some volcano observatories (including the USGS 

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory) have facilities and permanent 

staff, YVO is primarily a partnership, composed of affiliated 

staff from the eight member agencies (fig. 2). Each agency has 

an organizational lead that represents its staff to YVO through 

regularly scheduled meetings and teleconference calls. The 
4 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

most recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), outlining 

organizational responsibilities, was signed by all eight members 

in late 2012 and will remain in effect through 2017. The USGS 

has the Federal responsibility to provide warnings of volcanic 

activity, and the USGS grants the Scientist-in-Charge ultimate 

authority over YVO operations. Key geophysical data are 

provided by the UU and UNAVCO. YNP is the land manager 

and is responsible for all emergency response to natural 

disasters within YNP boundaries. The state geological surveys 

provide critical hazards information and outreach products to 

their respective citizens. As much as possible, YVO aids and 

collaborates with scientists outside the YVO partnership.

1c. Monitoring Systems

A combination of equipment operated and maintained 

by many groups inside and outside the YVO partnership is 

used for real-time monitoring of the Yellowstone volcano. The 

UU maintains the seismic stations of the Yellowstone Seismic 

Network and locates earthquakes with the data generated by 

the network. The Yellowstone Seismic Network is operated 

by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations (UUSS), 

which operates its regional seismic network as part of the 

Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). Within the ANSS 

framework, earthquakes throughout the United States larger 

than about M 3.0 are located by the USGS National Earthquake 

Information Center (NEIC), which operates on a 24-hour-a-day 

basis, providing backup to the UUSS and other ANSS regional 

seismic networks. The NEIC operates a small, but modern 

seismic network in the Teton Range, just south of Yellowstone. 

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) seismic 

network locates earthquakes in Montana.

Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are maintained 

by UNAVCO, a non-profit consortium, funded partly through 

the National Science Foundation’s Plate Boundary Observatory 

(PBO). Multiple organizations and universities record and 

process data from the GPS stations and make the data available 

to the public through websites (for example, http://www.

unavco.org http://www.uusatrg.utah.edu/, and the USGS crustal 

deformation website). The PBO also maintains strainmeters, 

tiltmeters, and seismometers, all within boreholes drilled in 

2007–08 through the National Science Foundation’s EarthScope 

program. Another EarthScope program, USArray, installed 

state-of-the-art seismic stations within and around Yellowstone 

as part of a temporary, mobile research array. All were removed 

in 2010 except for one (near Grant Village) that was left in place 

as an EarthScope legacy station and given to the UU. Finally, 

real-time stream flow and meteorological data are collected by 

the USGS Water Science Centers in Montana, Wyoming, and 

Idaho, through the National Water Information System (NWIS) 

with partial funding by YNP. Most of these data streams are 

available on the internet and can be found at http://volcanoes.

usgs.gov/yvo/activity/monitoring/index.php.

During a period of notable geologic unrest, YVO personnel 

would use these existing data streams and any new data from 

additional monitoring instrumentation deployed during unrest. 

Staff from YVO member agencies and other university and state 

cooperators would be available to help respond to the needs of 

the park, press, and public as described in subsequent sections. 

USGS personnel would include YVO project scientists, 

VHP staff not normally assigned to work at Yellowstone, 

seismologists and analysts from the NEIC, and others from 

other relevant science centers.

2. Geologic Unrest, Alert Levels, and 

Information Products

YVO responds to a variety of geologic events that can 

signal unrest leading to volcanic eruption. These events include 

large earthquakes, earthquake swarms, hydrothermal explosions, 

and increased gas emissions. The nature and frequency of these 

hazards are discussed in USGS Open-File Report 2007–1071 

and in USGS Fact Sheet 2005–3024. With assistance from 

various partners and collaborators, YVO can also provide 

rapid response to associated events such as earthquake-induced 

landslides or floods. Part of any response plan involves 

organizing and deploying scientific personnel and equipment 

to investigate current activity and assess possible outcomes and 

impacts. At the same time, helpful summary information must 

be provided as soon as possible to land managers, emergency 

responders, and the public-at-large.

2a. Notification System for Volcanic Activity

To issue warnings of volcanic unrest and eruptions, 

YVO utilizes an alert notification system implemented 

in 2006 by the USGS VHP (http://pubs.usgs.gov/

fs/2006/3139/). This alert system consists of two parallel 

warning schemes designed for two different types of hazards 

(airborne ash and gas hazards affecting aviation, and groundbased hazards, see fig. 3). The alerts of airborne hazards 

to aviation are summarized by four aviation color codes: 

Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red. The alerts of ground-based 

hazards use terminology similar to that used by the National 

Weather Service: Normal, Advisory, Watch, and Warning. 

Typically, the two four-stage alert levels rise and fall in 

parallel, yielding Normal/Green, Advisory/Yellow, Watch/

Orange, and Warning/Red, though the system is designed to 

be flexible so that, for example, alert of an ongoing eruption 

can remain Warning/Orange if a volcano poses a significant 

ground hazard but has no significant plume or ash cloud that 

could endanger aircraft.

The above volcano alert level and aviation color code 

system has been used by YVO since 2006, and the status of 

the Yellowstone Caldera has remained Normal/Green during 

that time. It is important to recognize that large earthquakes, 

earthquake swarms, or small hydrothermal explosions would 

not necessarily cause a change in alert level unless those 

events were thought to be part of an ongoing process that 

could culminate in a volcanic eruption.
2. Geologic Unrest, Alert Levels, and Information Products 5

Figure 3. Charts showing the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program system for volcano alert levels. Two parallel scales 

correspond to ground and aviation hazards.

2b. Event Response

Such important geologic events as large earthquakes or 

hydrothermal explosions nevertheless would require action by 

YVO. For such situations, an event response can be initiated 

that would include issuance of an information statement 

summarizing the event and its implications (see next section). 

An event response includes formal actions taken by YVO, 

outside of normal monitoring that are intended to characterize 

anomalous activity, provide assessments of potential outcomes, 

and inform the public of information gathered. Details of the 

structure of an event response and how this fits into the National 

Incident Management System (NIMS) are given in section 4. 

YVO will respond to earthquakes insofar as to determine their 

relevance to potential volcanism or hydrothermal explosions, 

but otherwise will defer to the NEIC regarding seismic 

summaries and statements of ongoing hazards.

2c. Written Information Products

Currently, YVO releases a monthly summary update 

through its website, and through the Volcano Notification 

Service (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns). This update 

summarizes seismic, geodetic (ground motion), and unusual 

hydrothermal activity for the previous month. An information 

statement is a formal public statement outside of the standard 

monthly summary updates. Information statements may 

contain descriptions of changes in monitoring systems, recent 

non-volcanic activity of note, or other non-urgent information 

about Yellowstone. If volcanic activity or a large hydrothermal 

explosion become a likely possibility, YVO will release two 

additional information products to the aviation community 

and through the VHP website: the Volcanic Activity Notice 

(VAN) and the Volcano Observatory Notices for Aviation 

(VONA). All these products are released electronically 
6 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

through the USGS Hazard Activity Notification System 

(HANS). They are automatically forwarded to a variety of 

government agencies, to the YVO and VHP websites, and 

to partners and collaborating agencies. Currently, the public 

and media can subscribe to the VNS (Volcano Notification 

Service) on the VHP website (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns/). 

A similar service is offered for earthquakes through the EHP 

(https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/). Emergency managers 

and cooperators may also receive these information products 

automatically as emails or text messages sent at the time of 

release. To demonstrate the use of an event response and these 

information products, two plausible scenarios and potential 

responses by YVO are outlined in Section 7.

3. YVO and the National Incident 

Management System

In the event of a volcanic eruption, large earthquake, or 

hydrothermal explosion where lives are at risk, infrastructure 

is threatened, or access needs to be controlled, YNP would 

activate an Incident Response within the Incident Command 

System (ICS). The response may be run entirely by park staff 

or, where desired, as a collaboration of multiple organizations 

such as nearby counties, states, or federal land management 

agencies. The response would be structured within the NIMS, 

a program developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

The NIMS approach is defined at http://www.fema.gov/

national-incident-management-system.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) 

is a systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, 

nongovernmental organizations, and the private 

sector to work together seamlessly and manage 

incidents involving all threats and hazards—regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity—in 

order to reduce loss of life, property and harm to the 

environment. 

....by using NIMS, communities are part of a 

comprehensive national approach that improves 

the effectiveness of emergency management and 

response personnel across the full spectrum of 

potential threats and hazards (including natural 

hazards, terrorist activities, and other human-caused 

disasters) regardless of size or complexity.

During events when human and financial resources 

need coordination, an ICS can provide infrastructure and 

transportation (for example, temporary headquarters or 

helicopter access) to aid YVO in its mission to provide timely 

assessments to the park and the public. The establishment 

of an ICS would allow YVO to fit into a larger organization 

ensuring public safety, clear communications, transportation, 

and other critical needs. A schematic diagram (fig. 4) 

illustrates how the ICS may be organized and how YVO 

would fit into the ICS. All YVO team leaders are strongly 

encouraged to familiarize themselves with ICS procedures and 

methodology and, as practical, to take formal training.

4. Event Response

4a. Declaring an Event Response

After consultation with YVO colleagues, including those 

from YNP, the Scientist-in-Charge may declare a formal event 

response. In doing so, the Scientist-in-Charge will release an 

information statement that includes details of the geologic or 

geophysical activity and, if appropriate, a pronouncement that 

YVO will initiate increased monitoring during the period of 

unrest. Not all event responses will result in a change in the 

alert levels (or release of a VAN or VONA).

4b. Relation of YVO Event Response to Incident 

Command System

Declaration of an event response does not in any way 

obligate YNP to implement an ICS. However, if YNP, 

or surrounding land managers or communities decide to 

implement an incident command, YVO would form a branch 

of the ICS and would act as an advisor on geologic conditions, 

potential scenarios for future activity, and hazards assessment 

(fig. 4). It is also possible that the park could stand up an ICS 

without YVO declaring an official event response, as there are 

situations where geologic and geophysical activity are unlikely 

to result in additional hazards (for example, a landslide that 

blocks road access, or a large earthquake without volcanic 

consequences).

4c. Internal organization of YVO during a 

response

In preparation for an event response or participation in 

an ICS, YVO will utilize an organizational scheme based on 

figure 5; the YVO Branch Organization contains teams and 

groups that are provisionally assigned prior to the event. In 

ICS terminology, which will be used in subsequent sections 

of this document, the head of the event response is the YVO 

Branch Chief (also known as the Scientist-in-Charge). The 

Branch Chief is assisted by the Deputy Scientist-in-Charge, 

who also acts as the Scientist-in-Charge when the Branch 

Chief is unavailable. The event response will be overseen 

by two functional groups: monitoring and information. The 

YVO Branch Chief, in consultation with the deputy and team 

leaders, will determine the assignment of team and group 
4. Event Response 7

Logistics 

Section 

Finance/ 

Administration 

Section 

Operations 

Section 

 Plans

Section 

Incident 

Command 

YVO

 BRANCH

Monitoring

Information

YVO SIC/Liaison to IC 

YVO/ VSC Liaison

Safety Officer 

Information Officer 

Figure 4. Hypothetical organization chart of 

an Incident Command System (ICS) during an 

event response at the Yellowstone Caldera. The 

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) Branch 

is one part of the Plans Section of the Incident 

Command (IC). Each section would consist of 

multiple branches. The YVO Branch could operate 

within multiple sections. SIC is Scientist-in-Charge, 

VSC is Volcano Science Center.

roles. The smallest scale of event response would include a 

single person in each group. Team members may come from 

any of the YVO member agencies. Individually, each group 

and the teams that compose those groups would convene at 

regular intervals, typically once per day. If appropriate and 

logistically feasible, all groups and teams could convene 

together at a single meeting. Because YVO is a distributed 

partnership with staff in multiple locations, it is expected 

that meetings would be primarily by teleconference or video 

conference. Decision making by all team members, regardless 

of institutional affiliation, would follow this organizational 

structure, with ultimate authority placed upon the YVO 

Branch Chief.

Upon raising the volcano alert level and aviation color 

code beyond Normal/Green, the YVO Branch Chief will 

assign a duty scientist. The duty scientist assignment will be 

filled 24 hours a day and will be rotated among the available 

qualified staff, so that one individual is always responsible 

for evaluating the latest monitoring data. During an event 

response when the volcano alert level remains at Normal/

Green, the assignment of staff to the duty scientist is at the 

discretion of the YVO Branch Chief.

Monitoring Group

The monitoring group consists of up to four teams (seismology, geodesy, geology [including hydrology and geochemistry], and remote sensing). The supervisor for the monitoring 

group is the Deputy Scientist-in-Charge. Similarly, for event 

responses of limited scope, the teams may consist solely of the 

team leader or may be larger. The team leaders will convene 

regularly, with a frequency chosen by the group supervisor. 

When the volcano is at an elevated alert level/color code, each 

team will grow to be composed of multiple team members as 

shown in figure 5 and described below. In these instances, at 

least one team member will be located at YNP or its immediate vicinity. Each team will convene at regular intervals (at 

least once per day) to characterize ongoing activity, discuss 
8 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

 Example YVO Branch Organization: 2013 

(headed by Branch Chief/ Scientist-in-Charge)

Monitoring 

Seismology 

Public Information Officer (PIO) 

Geographic Information 

UU/YVO Chief Seismologist

USGS/YVO

UUSS

UUSS

NEIC

MBMG Geodesy 

Deputy SIC Geology 

Remote Sensing 

Information

UU/YVO

UNAVCO

USGS/YVO: Team Leader

USGS USGS/GEOL

USGS/GEOCHEM

YNP Park Geologist: Team leader

U. Wyo.

USGS/VSC 

YNP 

WSGS 

NEIC 

USGS

YNP

External Research Team

Provides data products 

requested by Monitoring 

Information and Support 

Teams 

Can be staffed as needed. May operate out of 

Joint Information Center (JIC). Supports the PIO of the 

Incident Command. 

USGS/VSC: Team Leader

USGS/Classified Assets

YNP

USGS/VHP

USGS Deputy SIC

YNP/Permitting

UNAVCO

Groups Teams 

 

Figure 5. Chart showing Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) Branch Organization. The YVO Branch consists of two groups 

divided into various teams. In this diagram, the teams are populated with one possible grouping of people, though other options may be 

preferred at the time of unrest. The roles of Groups and Teams are explained in the text. The external research team reports directly to 

the Scientist-In-Charge (SIC). MBMG is Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, NEIC is National Earthquake Information Center, USGS 

is U.S. Geological Survey, UU is University of Utah, UUSS is University of Utah Seismograph Stations, U. Wyo. is University of Wyoming, 

VSC is Volcano Science Center, VHP is Volcano Hazards Program, WSGS is Wyoming State Geological Survey, YNP is Yellowstone 

National Park, YVO is Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
4. Event Response 9

upcoming plans, and provide a summary statement for their 

team within the monitoring group.

The following section describes the existing standard set 

of teams that would be used during geologic unrest. Based 

upon experience at other USGS volcano observatories, these 

teams would need to expand to meet the demand for field 

personnel during any extended period of unrest (more than a 

few weeks). As such, the teams outlined below are minimum 

organizational units for an event response when a Volcano 

Advisory or Watch has been issued.

The seismology team consists of the YVO Chief Seismologist and representatives from the Yellowstone Seismic 

Network, as well as seismologists from several institutions 

within YVO. The team tracks locations, magnitudes and 

depths of earthquakes with time, and analyzes waveforms to 

interpret the source and nature of the earthquake activity. The 

team is responsible for deploying necessary temporary equipment to increase understanding of the unrest. As needed, the 

USGS would provide equipment and additional help, either 

through VHP staff located at other volcano observatories or 

Earthquake Hazards Program staff, including those at the 

NEIC. These individuals could be deployed to YNP, or to 

UUSS facilities in Salt Lake City.

The geodesy team currently will consist of geodetic 

experts from a variety of YVO member agencies, as needed. 

This team is responsible for identifying trends in ground 

deformation that relate to current unrest, using data from continuous GPS stations, borehole strainmeters and tiltmeters, and 

interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) observations. 

The team is responsible for deploying any needed temporary 

equipment to increase understanding of the unrest and for 

developing numerical models of the source(s) of deformation.

The geology team is responsible for noting changes in 

hydrothermal activity, gas discharge, water chemistry, or other 

geologic factors accompanying unrest. They assist in planning, organizing and staffing fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter 

surveillance flights. The team is responsible for deploying any 

needed temporary equipment to increase understanding of the 

unrest.

The remote sensing team is responsible for identifying 

any changes in topography, heat discharge, vegetation, or other 

surface characteristics that can be tracked from air or space. 

A representative from this team coordinates with the geology 

team to recommend and deploy any instrumentation that can 

help the remote sensing team to interpret remotely sensed data. 

Under some circumstances, the YVO Branch Chief may merge 

the geology and remote sensing teams under one team leader.

Information Group

The information group consists of two teams (geographic 

information and public information) and during small events is 

supervised by the team leader of the public information team. 

The information group supervisor is alternatively known as 

the Public Information Officer (PIO, see fig. 5).

The geographic information team provides visual and 

cartographic data products and support as requested by the 

monitoring, information, and support groups. The team assists 

the Public Information Team in providing contextual materials for distribution to the media and to the public through 

the YVO website. The public information team is led by an 

individual from the USGS and may consist of a variety of 

team members from YVO member and affiliated agencies. The 

team consists of specialists with technical familiarity sufficient 

to conduct outreach and education through the YVO website. 

The team also serves as a resource of scientific information 

as part of any joint information center (JIC) set up within 

the ICS. The team is responsible for summarizing current 

scientific knowledge as “talking points” and conceiving and 

producing illustrations for use in communicating geologic 

concepts, hazards, and ongoing activity to the public. The 

team leader serves as YVO’s primary contact with the incident 

command’s PIO, the latter being a position that is likely to be 

held by a representative from YNP or a local governmental 

agency.

Support, logistics and external research

In the previous version of this planning document 

(Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2010), YVO included a 

separate support group. In this update, we have eliminated 

this group. Logistics within the ICS are coordinated outside 

of YVO and can assist with setting up a field office, lodging, helicopter support, and so forth. Staffing and budgeting 

within the USGS or as part of a USGS cooperative grant are 

outside the purview of YVO itself, and need not constitute a 

separate group. Coordination with the ICS will occur through 

a liaison from YVO or the Volcano Science Center (VSC) that 

will interface with the Finance/Administration section (fig. 4). 

In addition, the Deputy Scientist-in-Charge will continue to 

work with VSC management to incorporate USGS staff into 

the event response or to identify personnel from YVO member 

agencies.

The external research team will remain as an advisory 

group to the Branch Chief and consists of 3 or 4 people 

including a team leader from the monitoring group. The team 

will act as a liaison with scientists from outside YVO, including other governmental and academic institutions. Scientists 

interested in assisting with the event response or conducting independent or collaborative related research will send 

communications to the external research team for vetting of 

research proposals, assistance with logistics, and coordination 

of sample and data distribution. The team will include scientists from the VHP, academia, UNAVCO, and a member of 

the YNP research permitting office, all who are not intimately 

involved with the event response and can be impartial coordinators for diverse groups seeking to undertake fieldwork, 

deploy instrumentation, acquire data, or collect samples as part 

of the response. The team leader from the monitoring group 

will coordinate with the rest of the monitoring teams to ensure 
10 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

that the external research complements ongoing monitoring 

programs and does not negatively impact logistics.

4d. Calldown and Related Communications Lists

Upon declaring an event response or announcing a 

change in the volcano alert level or aviation color code, 

YVO will institute a formal calldown whereby staff will 

place telephone calls to notify colleagues and cooperators 

of the current situation. Figure 6 is an example of the 

calldown scheme. A version of the YVO calldown list will 

be populated with phone numbers, web, and email addresses, 

and placed on the YVO internal log system for retrieval 

by YVO staff and cooperators. In addition, most of the 

individuals on this list will also be sent an automatic email 

or text message to their computer and (or) phone at the time 

of the information statement and (or) alert-level change and 

accompanying information products (VAN/VONA). As such, 

the telephone call may be redundant, but allows back-andforth discussion between YVO staff and key distributors of 

hazards information. In the current plan, YNP or the ICS staff 

above the YVO Branch will contact state and local emergency 

managers, as well as relevant personnel within YNP. The UU 

will be responsible for contacting regional seismic networks. 

The YVO Branch Chief or a designee will alert the VHP 

Coordinator and the VSC Director, who in turn notify USGS 

regional and national program contacts and the Department 

of the Interior Watch Office. The VHP Coordinator will also 

interface with the Hazard Response Executive Committee that 

oversees USGS responses to hazardous events.

The YVO calldown list will be reevaluated at least once 

per year and will be maintained by the YVO PIO and stored 

on the internal log system.

4e. Information Releases

As of September 2014, YVO issues a monthly update on 

the status of the Yellowstone volcano on or around the first 

day of each month. The update synthesizes the monitoring 

information and expert opinion solicited from YVO 

cooperators and collaborators. After a notable earthquake, 

earthquake swarm, hydrothermal explosion or other geologic 

event, the observatory may choose to release an information 

statement that provides details on the event and possible 

outcomes. During an event response, frequency of the updates 

is at the discretion of the YVO Branch Chief. If warranted, 

the YVO Branch Chief may opt to change the alert level and 

aviation color code. After an upgrade in alert level, YVO will 

release daily updates.

Currently, the UUSS policy is to issue a press release 

after any earthquake greater than M 3.5 within the UUSS 

reporting area of the Yellowstone region. They typically do 

the same after the onset of any significant earthquake swarm, 

especially those that attract public interest or include felt 

events. YVO then re-issues the press release as an information 

statement. YVO may include additional content in the 

information statement as it relates to potential volcanism. 

However, YVO defers to the NEIC and any regional 

earthquake network (for example, UUSS) for information 

specifically related to earthquakes.

As discussed above, while alert levels are elevated YVO 

will release daily updates. During such times, separate press 

releases by member agencies should be closely coordinated 

with the public information team (or the Joint Information 

Center organized through the ICS structure). In contrast, 

during quiet periods, Yellowstone-related press releases by 

any of the YVO member agencies can be vetted through the 

other partners, and such communication is encouraged, but not 

mandated.

5. Alert Notification Scheme and 

Decision Criteria

The VHP criterion for a volcano advisory/aviation color 

code Yellow includes the following: “Volcano is exhibiting 

signs of elevated unrest above known background level.” 

Assessing what constitutes elevated unrest is somewhat 

subjective and requires consideration of both the type and 

level of activity, as well as the historic behavior of the volcanic 

and hydrothermal system. For example, during an earthquake 

swarm, activity may be above known background levels, but 

because swarms are characteristic of this hydrothermal region, 

is not necessarily a precursor to an eruption. This is in contrast 

to many stratovolcanoes, where earthquake swarms or ground 

deformation are almost always a direct result of magma ascent 

into the upper crust (a shallow intrusion). At Yellowstone, 

however, earthquake swarms and caldera-wide ground 

deformation are relatively common events that can reflect 

regional tectonism, hydrothermal pressurization and deep 

magma intrusion that appear to have occurred for thousands 

of years without ever leading to a volcanic eruption. Similar 

activity is noted at other large calderas around the world.

The following five guidelines outlined below will inform 

YVO decision making during future episodes of geologic 

activity.

1. YVO may choose to initiate an event response for a 

large earthquake, an intense earthquake swarm, an 

episode of rapid ground displacement, a significant 

hydrothermal explosion that generates a large 

crater (tens to hundreds of meters in diameter), or a 

pronounced increase in heat or gas discharge.

2. An alert level change from Normal to Advisory 

(with accompanying change of aviation color code 

from Green to Yellow) may be declared when 

monitoring parameters exceed known thresholds 

previously observed at Yellowstone. One example 

is an intense earthquake swarm (>500 earthquakes, 

some with M >4.5) that is accompanied by rapid 
5. Alert Notification Scheme and Decision Criteria 11

YVO Provisional Calldown List 

Alerts also released through the VNS: volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns/

and YVO website activity page (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/status.php#yvo)

Used when changing volcano alert level or declaring event response 

YVO Scientist-in-Charge calls:

 Volcano Hazards Program Coordinator

 

 Volcano Science Center Director

 

 Wyoming, Montana and Idaho State Geologists

 

 

Seismology Team Chief calls (only if they are not already in YVO teams):

 

 UUSS Director

 

 UUSS Network Manager

 

 NEIC Director

 UNAVCO Network Manager for PBO

 

 

YNP Chief, Yellowstone Center for Resources calls:

 

 

 

 

 

USGS Director or her designee

Associate Director Natural Hazards

DOI 24/7 Watch Office

UUSS Associate Director 

NEIC 24/7 Watch Office Staff 

Affected local communities

Relevant State Government Offices

 (Governor, Homeland Security)

 NOTE: redundant lines of commun-

 ication through the ICS would provide 

information to these offices.

Manager, Montana Seismic Network 

Manager, INL Network 

NWS Meteorologic Watch Office, Kansas City, MO

FAA Regional Office Salt Lake City, UT

NWS Weather Forecast Office, Riverton, WY

NOAA Washington VAAC, Washington, DC

FEMA Region VIII contact, Denver, CO

Relevant USGS Regional Directors) 

USGS Office of Communications

 

 YVO Deputy 

 Scientist-in-Charge calls:

 (Alert level change only)

YNP Superintendent

YNP Deputy Superintendent

YNP Chief Ranger

Communications Center

Figure 6. Simplified calldown list for Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Actual calldown list may differ from this example. DOI is 

Department of Interior, FAA is Federal Aviation Administration, FEMA is Federal Emergency Management Agency, ICS is Incident 

Command System, NEIC is National Earthquake Information Center, NOAA is National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NWS 

is National Weather Service, USGS is U.S. Geological Survey, UUSS is University of Utah Seismograph Stations, VAAC is Volcanic Ash 

Aviation Center, VNS is Volcano Notification Service, YNP is Yellowstone National Park, YVO is Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.
12 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

ground displacement (such as >5 cm [2 inches] over 

30 days), or a significant hydrothermal explosion. 

It is unlikely that a Volcano Advisory would be 

called for a single large earthquake and its sequence 

of aftershocks unless it was accompanied by 

considerable pre-earthquake ground displacement 

or hydrothermal explosions. It is possible that lesser 

activity could trigger the announcement of a Volcano 

Advisory. It is also possible that in some situations 

YVO would choose not to issue a Volcano Advisory, 

unless all three criteria (an intense earthquake 

swarm, rapid ground displacement, and a significant 

hydrothermal explosion) were met. Although the 

Yellowstone hydrothermal system normally releases 

abundant carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, it 

does not normally release high-temperature sulfur 

dioxide; therefore, any measurable flux of sulfur 

dioxide (for example, tens to hundreds of tons 

per day) would merit serious consideration of the 

issuance of a Volcano Advisory.

3. A change in alert level and aviation color code from 

Normal/Green to Advisory/Yellow will always trigger 

a formal event response by YVO.

4. Changes in alert levels and color codes or declaration 

of an event response are the responsibility of the 

YVO Branch Chief, who will normally consult 

closely with the other organization leads and team 

leaders before making any such decisions.

5. Change from a higher alert level and color code 

(Advisory or Watch) to a lower alert level will 

be at the discretion of the YVO Branch Chief, in 

association with the team leaders and organization 

leads. The criteria for such a decision are likely to 

vary widely, depending on the nature of the event.

6. Scientific Oversight and Information 

Sharing

6a. Advisory Panel

The USGS VHP is currently exploring the development 

of an oversight committee to provide guidance to all USGS 

volcano observatories. The panel would be a standing 

committee focused on maximizing the ability of U.S. 

volcano observatories to monitor and mitigate volcanic 

hazards. Such a committee would provide assistance to YVO 

by undertaking periodic audits of observatory practices, and 

by serving as additional liaisons to the media for background 

information during volcano crises. 

6b. YVO Log System

YVO maintains a secured weblog system that provides 

a forum for discussion of monitoring data. This passwordprotected system shall be used continually, during periods of 

quiescence and unrest, to provide a searchable archived system 

of plots, observations, and discourse related to geologic 

activity at Yellowstone. Such systems have proven critical to 

information sharing at the Hawaiian, Cascades, and Alaska 

Volcano Observatories. Log systems ensure that everyone 

works with the same set of information and that ideas can be 

shared, discussed, and vetted in an organized manner. The log 

contains a record of phenomena, ideas, and decision making in 

the aftermath of events, that can be used by observatory staff 

to evaluate operational protocols. Unauthorized use of posted 

data or ideas is unacceptable and could result in exclusion 

from observatory projects and opportunities.

YVO practice is to make all reliable real-time data 

available to the public through Internet-based archives (these 

currently include seismic, GPS, strain, tilt, and hydrologic 

data). The log system does not contain raw data. Its purpose is 

to enable discussion among YVO partners. All staff from YVO 

member agencies with a role in YVO response are strongly 

encouraged to use the log system and be familiar with its 

organization (Pierson and others, 2013).

7. Scenarios of Unrest and Initiation of 

Event Response

Two plausible scenarios demonstrate how the YVO 

response plan might be used as a basis for an event response.

7a. Scenario 1: Day 1: During a 6-hour 

period on a July afternoon, four M 5–6 

earthquakes occur near Gibbon River Canyon (hundreds of smaller events occur 

over the next three days). Landslides have 

blocked the roads in Gibbon River Canyon 

and between Mammoth and Norris Geyser 

Basin, effectively closing off access to Norris 

and Mammoth from the southwest.

Coincident with the beginning of 

earthquake activity, the Norris strain and 

tilt meters show large signals indicating significant local deformation. Though two continuous GPS receivers (set at minute solutions) are deployed nearby, the data are not 

telemetered.

Day 2: Hydrothermal explosions are 

detected in the Norris Back Basin, leading 

to closure of the entire Norris Geyser Basin. 

The largest resulting crater is 20 meters 

in diameter; 15 additional hydrothermal 
8. Summary and Protocols for Updating this Plan 13

explosions are detected with the Norris seismometer and strain meter.

On Day 1, YNP initiates an ICS to help manage 

transportation around the affected area, restore infrastructure, 

and assist park visitors. YVO initiates an event response and 

is designated as a branch within the “Plans” section of the 

ICS structure. At the same time, a Volcano Advisory and 

aviation color code Yellow are declared by the YVO Branch 

Chief along with a summary of observations and current 

prospects for future activity. A VAN/VONA is issued by the 

YVO Branch Chief and a calldown is completed. The event 

response requires formation of 3 teams (~13 people) within the 

monitoring group (seismology, geodesy and geology/remote 

sensing). The information group consists of three individuals 

(two in the geographic information team), and is supervised 

by the public information team leader. Team members of the 

monitoring group plan for deployment of additional equipment 

to detect local deformation and assist in the identification of 

seismic sources that could indicate migrating magma. The YVO 

Branch Chief works with the public information team leader to 

create information products. These are for use during a press 

conference on Day 2, set up through the ICS. A duty scientist 

position is created, which rotates among the team leaders for 

Day 2 and Day 3.

On Day 3, representatives of the YVO advisory panel are 

contacted by the YVO Branch Chief and a conference call is set 

up between the advisory panel, the YVO team leaders, and the 

Branch Chief. Assuming that unrest did not increase, this basic 

organizational structure would be used for response to the initial 

unrest, and would remain in place for as long as desired by the 

Branch Chief and the ICS.

7b. Scenario 2: Day 1: Forty (M>2.0) 

earthquakes are recorded over a 10-hour 

period on a winter day at Yellowstone 

Lake. Several of the earthquakes are felt by 

park staff, but no damage is recorded. No 

deformation or hydrothermal changes are 

noted.

Day 2: The swarm continues and 

residents express concern about their safety. 

200 M>2.0 earthquakes are now recorded.

On Day 3, YNP initiates an ICS to help plan possible 

options for moving staff out of the Yellowstone Lake area to 

alterative locations in the park. The YVO Branch Chief releases 

an information statement and begins an event response. The 

alert level and avaiation color code remain at Normal/Green. 

The monitoring group consists of the Chief Seismologist and 

the Park Geologist. The information group consists of a single 

person from the USGS. At the discretion of the YVO Branch 

Chief, a daily information statement is provided through the 

YVO website and the VNS until the swarm ceases. Due to the 

relatively low level of activity, YVO decides not to deploy 

temporary equipment unless geologic activity increases. The 

incident command managers have a daily teleconference to 

re-assess the situation, including whichever YVO-affiliated 

staff are needed. No YNP staff are moved from the area. The 

earthquake swarm eventually ceases after six days, and the ICS 

is demobilized at that time.

8. Summary and Protocols for Updating 

this Plan

This plan summarizes protocols and tools to be used 

by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory during episodes of 

unusual geologic unrest at the Yellowstone Caldera.

•	 The YVO Branch Chief will call for an event 

response, and will enter into an ICS led by YNP or 

another land management agency if appropriate. 

The YVO Branch within the Plans Section of the 

Incident Command will consist of prescribed groups 

(Monitoring and Information) and their associated 

teams.

•	 Information will be provided externally through 

the USGS Hazard Activity Notification System 

(HANS), the YVO and USGS VHP websites, and a 

calldown list. Internal communications will be organized through group and team meetings and through 

the YVO log system.

•	 This plan will be modified every three years to 

account for changes in staff, organizational structures, and protocols. The current version of this plan 

will be available through the official USGS publications website for viewing by the general public. 

Similarly, the calldown list and group and team 

members list will be kept up-to-date on the internal 

secured log system and will be updated yearly.

For more information:

Brantley, S.R., Lowenstern, J.B., Christiansen, R.L., Smith, 

R.B., Heasler, Henry, Waite, Greg, and Wicks, Charles, 

2004, Tracking changes in Yellowstone’s restless volcanic 

system: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 100–03, 4 p., 

available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs100-03/.

Christiansen, R.L., Lowenstern, J.B., Smith, R.B., Heasler, 

Henry, Morgan, L.A., Nathenson, Manuel, Mastin, L.G., 

Muffler, L.J.P., and Robinson, J.E., 2007, Preliminary 

assessment of volcanic and hydrothermal hazards in Yellowstone National Park and vicinity: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2007–1071, 94 p., available at http://pubs.

usgs.gov/of/2007/1071/.
14 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

Department of Homeland Security, 2008, National Incident 

Management System: Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, 155 p., available at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/NIMS_core.pdf.

Gardner, C.A., and Guffanti, M.C., 2006, U.S. Geological 

Survey’s alert-notification system for volcanic activity: U.S. 

Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2006–3139, 4 p., available at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3139/.

Lowenstern, J.B., Christiansen, R.L., Smith, R.B., Morgan, 

L.A., Heasler, Henry, 2005, Steam explosions, earthquakes, 

and volcanic eruptions—what’s in Yellowstone’s future?: 

U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2005–3024, 6 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3024/.

Pierson, T.C., Driedger, C.L., and Tilling, R.I., 2013, Volcano 

crisis response at Yellowstone Volcanic Complex—after 

action report for exercise held at Salt Lake City, Utah, 

November 15, 2011: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2013–1018, 31 p. available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/

of/2013/1018/.

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2006, Volcano and earthquake monitoring plan for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2006–2015: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Report 2006–5276, 17 p., available at http://

pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2006/5276/.

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2010, Protocols for geologic hazards response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory: U.S. Geological Survey Circular, 1351, 18 p.

Websites with Monitoring Data:

YVO Monitoring Webpage

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/activity/monitoring/index.php

UUSS Recent Earthquakes at Yellowstone National Park

http://www.seis.utah.edu/req2webdir/recenteqs/Maps/ 

Yellowstone.html

UUSS Seismic Waveform Images (Webicorders)

http://quake.utah.edu/helicorder/yell_webi.htm

UU GPS Data

http://www.uusatrg.utah.edu/ts_ysrp.html

PBO GPS Data

http://www.unavco.org/data/gps-gnss/real-time/real-time.html

PBO Strain Data

http://www.unavco.org/data/strain-seismic/bsm-data/bsm-data.

html

YVO Hydrologic Monitoring with Links to NWIS

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/yellowstone_

monitoring_46.html

To reach YVO:

email: yvowebteam@usgs.gov

To sign up for YVO notifications

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns/
Glossary of Terminology and Acronyms 15

Glossary of Terminology and Acronyms

ANSS Advanced National Seismic System: The USGS-sponsored system for providing uniform information products for seismic 

activity including, locations, magnitudes, effects on buildings, and so forth. Includes the NEIC, the backbone network of USGS 

seismic stations, and 15 regional seismic networks operated by partner agencies.

Deputy Scientist-in-Charge A deputy Scientist-in-Charge is assigned to assist with communications, calldowns, and other responsibilities. The position serves as the monitoring group leader.

Duty Scientist Rotating position among the team leaders and Scientist-in-Charge. The duty scientist is responsible for continuous, 24-hour-a-day evaluation of monitoring data and communication of important findings to the observatory staff and leadership. The duty scientist position will be utilized whenever the volcano is at an alert level above Normal/Green.

Event Response An official action taken by the observatory to react to an increase in geologic activity.

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

FEMA/DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Homeland Security

GPS Global Positioning System: A satellite-based system for location and navigation. It is used in geoscience (and by YVO) to 

monitor displacement of benchmarks and other monuments as a means of tracking tectonic and volcanic deformation.

HANS Hazards Activity Notification System: A computer interface used by USGS volcano observatories for issuing volcano 

alerts, information statements, and other advisories.

ICS Incident Command System: A set of personnel, policies, procedures, facilities, and equipment, integrated into a common 

organizational structure designed to improve emergency response of all types and complexities.

IGS Idaho Geological Survey

InSAR Interferometric synthetic aperture radar

IRIS Integrated Research Institutes for Seismology

JIC Joint Information Center

MBMG Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NEIC National Earthquake Information Center: A Denver-based group within USGS responsible for overall monitoring of earthquakes in the United States. Maintains a 24-hour-a-day Watch Office and a “backbone” network of seismic stations that complements regional networks such as UUSS.

NIMS National Incident Management System

NWIS National Water Information System

PBO Plate Boundary Observatory: One of the components of Earthscope, a research facility to explore the structure and evolution of the North American Continent. Earthscope is funded by the National Science Foundation. PBO focuses primarily on 

ground deformation as measured by GPS, and strain and tilt meters.

PIO Public Information Officer

Scientist-in-Charge The Observatory lead from the USGS, with ultimate authority over Observatory operations. In an ICS, the 

Scientist-in-Charge serves as the YVO Branch Chief.

UNAVCO Non-profit consortium that, in part, assists the National Science Foundation with installation and operation of PBO 

instrumentation.

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

UU University of Utah

UUSS University of Utah Seismograph Stations: A research, educational and public-service entity that serves as an ANSS 

regional network and serves populations in Utah, eastern Idaho, and western Wyoming. UUSS is responsible for location of 

earthquakes at Yellowstone as part of the MOU for the YVO.

University of Utah Seismology and Active Tectonics Research Group Researchers, faculty and students focused on interpreting 

and modeling the Yellowstone region seismic and ground deformation data acquired by the UU and others. Research projects 

include the Yellowstone hotspot, seismicity, magmatism, heatflow, and ground deformation.

UW University of Wyoming

VAAC Volcanic Ash Aviation Center

VAN Volcanic Activity Notice

VHP Volcano Hazards Program: USGS program that funds the USGS Volcano Observatories and the VSC, which administers 

most USGS employees involved in volcano-related projects.

VNS Volcano Notification Service: a free service that sends notification emails about volcanic activity at U.S. monitored 

volcanoes.

VONA Volcano Observatory Notices for Aviation

VSC Volcano Science Center: The organizational unit within which most USGS volcano scientists reside. Staff are located primarily at the Alaska, Cascades, and Hawaiian Volcano Observatories, and in Menlo Park, California. Led by the VSC director.
16 Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

WSGS Wyoming State Geological Survey

YNP Yellowstone National Park

YVO Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

YVO Branch The organizational unit occupied by YVO within the Plans Section of the ICS; led by the YVO Branch Chief 

(Scientist-in-Charge).

YVO Collaborating Organizations Informal cooperators such as university researchers, the Idaho National Lab Seismic Monitoring Program, the Integrated Research Institutes of Seismology, the National Weather Service, and the National Science Foundation/Earthscope. Some of these organizations have a MOU and a cooperating agreement with one or more YVO member 

agencies.

YVO Member Agencies These include the USGS, YNP, UU, UW, WSGS, IGS, MBMG and UNAVCO. All are signatories to the 

YVO MOU, most recently signed in 2012.
Menlo Park Publishing Service Center, California

Manuscript approved for publication September 16, 2014

Edited by Theresa Iki and Regan Austin

Design and layout by Stephen L. Scott and Cory Hurd
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory—Protocols for Geologic Hazards Response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory—U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1351 

(Version 2.0)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1351

ISSN 1067-084X (print)

ISSN 2330-5703 (online)