Is It Possible to tap the energy of the magma chamber at yellowstone park to both draw off power as well as reduce the dangers of an eruption ??? Please be verbose in your answers ? Make a power plant that might serve the entire nation ??
2006-09-04 07:12:07 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
I think The time may come when we want the Energy more than we want the park ??
2006-09-06 13:32:32 · update #1
Yes.
2006-09-04 07:26:23 · answer #1 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes such a thing is possible but there are some limitations right now which prevents a fullscale undertaking. Examples would be the 'Garbage Parks' being made out of landfills and covered over and using the natural methane coming from the garbage underneath to power lights and fountains etc. One limitation to the yellowstone park idea is that the energy that is under the ground is so powerful that there is no way of containing the energy once it is released. The same problem exists for cold fussion, the fusing of two atoms to produce sun-like energy but there is no way to contain it for productive use.
2006-09-04 14:21:51 · answer #2 · answered by Dr M 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is quite likely that the geothermal energy in Yellowstone Park could be tapped. The Icelanders extract a lot of geothermal energy in their country. I do not know though whether there would be problems with the geology (sufficient amounts of water and rock permeability). Whether industrialisation would be permitted in a National Park is another question.
I think the amount of heat that could be extracted would be insignificant in relation to the total heat below ground.
2006-09-04 14:28:04 · answer #3 · answered by Robert A 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It would be possible to build a geothermal plant there, and no doubt it would be quite effective at generating power. However, it would make the park less of a park by putting this enormous building (or buildngs) up in the middle of it. I'm sure a lot of people would get mad about that.
Also, the amount of heat we can transfer is very small compared to the amount of heat that's down there, and probably by cooling it down we just cause more heat to come up from down below faster. So I doubt we'd decrease the risk of an eruption almost at all.
2006-09-04 14:18:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yellowstone could provide a lot of geothermal energy, but the facilities would scar the landscape and the public would not support development.
2006-09-04 16:13:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋