These vast fields of lava record powerful but geologically brief pulses of magmatic activity. (scientificamerican.com)
The study in Science is titled, «The Yellowstone magmatic system from the mantle plume to the upper crust.» (sciencedaily.com)
After observing a sharp rise in volcanic activity during this period, and testing various scenarios, the geologists concluded that the increase in magmatic activity could only be explained by the almost total drying out of the Mediterranean. (sciencedaily.com)