Lidar Technology , Uncovers 'Geological Hazards' Below , Yellowstone National Park.<br />CBS reports that new data has <br />revealed "geological hazards" <br />underneath Yellowstone National Park. .<br />A team of scientists used lidar technology to shed light on <br />prehistoric landslides and massive earthquakes that may have <br />permanently impacted the potentially dangerous geologic area.<br />Advanced geological surface mapping gave<br />geologists the clearest view to date of Paradise <br />Valley and a northern portion of Yellowstone. .<br />Lidar, short for "light detection and ranging," <br />is used to survey large areas of land with <br />a sensor usually mounted on an airplane.<br />Geologists have an intense interest in <br />the area, as Yellowstone National Park <br />sits atop a known volcanic hotspot.<br />However, Michael Poland, a geophysicist with the <br />U.S. Geological Survey, says that the chance of <br />a volcanic eruption "is very unlikely in our lifetimes.".<br />Poland added that studying the area remains crucial <br />due to the likelihood of damaging earthquakes and <br />hydrothermal explosions in the foreseeable future. .<br />Yann Gavillot, a geologist with the Geohazards Program at <br />Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, wrote about the <br />lidar data in a weekly column by the U.S. Geological Survey.<br />Gavillot said the work could , "significantly improve hazards maps by allowing <br />better characterization of the location, geometry, <br />and activity of known faults and landslides.".<br />CBS reports that the same technology <br />helped geologists uncover active faults along <br />the edges of Yellowstone in August of 2022
