1. To provide seismic, geodetic, and hydrologic monitoring that enables reliable and timely warnings of possible renewed volcanism and related hazards in the Yellowstone region,

2. To notify the NPS, other local officials, and the public of significant seismic or volcanic events,

3. To improve scientific understanding of tectonic and magmatic processes that influence ongoing seismicity, surface deformation, and hydrothermal activity,

4. To assess the long-term potential hazards of volcanism, seismicity, and explosive hydrothermal activity in the region,

5. To communicate effectively the results of these efforts to responsible authorities and to the public, and

6. To improve coordination and cooperation among the U of U, YNP, and the USGS.

Yellowstone is an active geologic area and a long-term monitoring effort has been underway in Yellowstone National Park and vicinity for many years. The monitoring primarily involves a seismic network operated by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations under a cooperative funding agreement with the USGS and with ancillary support from the NSF. In addition, GPS (Global Positioning System) and precise leveling measurements have been established and carried out by scientists of both the U of U and the USGS. Bringing together those activities within the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory provides:

• A more stable basis to continue and to improve long-term monitoring and hazard-assessment activities,

• A consistent and web-accessible database, and

• Coordination amongst various other relevant projects of the the USGS, the University of Utah, and the NPS.

Together, the five observatories monitor 43 of the 70 or so potentially hazardous volcanoes of the United States. The five observatories are operated under the auspices of the U.S. Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program.