ISS011-E-10575 Click the photo number to access all resolutions available and the database record.
This astronaut photograph is centered on Yellowstone Lake, a popular camping and fishing location within the National Park. The lake basin includes part of the youngest caldera and has an area of 352 square kilometers (136 square miles). Due to the rise and fall of resurgent domes (the locations of volcanic vents) located nearby, the lake basin is now tilted southwards, causing beaches to grow along the northern shore and flooding to occur in the southern arms of the lake. The West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake was formed by an eruption that occurred approximately 150,000 years ago. The resulting relatively small caldera was subsequently filled with water and joined with the larger lake to the east. Numerous geothermal features such as geysers and hot springs are located in the West Thumb area— this is thought to be due to a relatively shallow, local magma source.
A more recent change to Yellowstone’s geography is the area covered by large fire scars— cleared areas burned during the vast 1988 forest fires. The scars are still highly visible 17 years later because the light-colored cleared regions contrast with the surrounding forest.
