Yellowstone Caldera - Area of Expected 1cm Ash Fall

This map shows the area that is expected to receive 1cm of total ash fall in the event of a Yellowstone Caldera eruption.

Description

This map project involved producing a map that shows the area surrounding the Yellowstone Caldera that is at greatest risk for damage due to ash fall after a possible eruption. The project focused on working with projections and geoprocessing. The map was to be made with the intention of communicating potential risk to the public.

Analysis

The analysis involved exporting Yellowstone National Park from a parks layer that included all national parks lands. Then a buffer could be made around the location of Yellowstone to show the 500km region expected to receive 1cm of ash fall. Then the Yellowstone and towns layers were converted to a projection that would be appropriate given the location and data layers. Ultimately this resulted in defining a custom projection so that the state boundaries would look the most accurate in the area.

Results and Significance

The results of the analysis show the major cities that can expect to experience 1cm worth of ash fall in the event of a Yellowstone Caldera eruption. The map can help educate the public on the potential risk and inform emergency managers in mitigation and evacuation planning to minimize the impacts of a potential event.