How long will it take for the Yellowstone hot spot to get to North
Dakota? Are
you making preparations?
Dick Van Effen
Dear Dick,
I know a few people who think North Dakota is the center of things but
your question is a little backwards. Yellowstone is not coming to us.
We are going towards Yellowstone (no offense to North Dakotans but this
sounds good to me). The location of the Yellowstone hot spot is fixed
within the Earth. The North American plate is moving about 2.3 cm to the
southwest each year. Assuming plate motions remain constant, the North
Dakota-Montana state line will be over the hotspot in 22 million years.
The town of Bismarck will be over the hotspot in 33 million years. Fargo
will be over the hotspot in 44 million years. Duluth will have to wait
59 million years before it basks in the warmth of geothermal splendor.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I did not know the great state
of North Dakota had such a promising future. Perhaps I'll contact the
State Board of Tourism to see if they need someone to make a flier.
Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota
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