Yellowstone: What happens if a supervolcano erupts?
(ORDO NEWS) — The possible eruption of Yellowstone has long been occupied by geologists and the public, many people are afraid of a possible worldwide cataclysm from the California mountain. So what happens if Yellowstone erupts?
The eruption of Yellowstone may one day leave the world under the cover of ashes.
The Yellowstone Volcano, also known as the Yellowstone Caldera, is located in Wyoming in the US National Park.
Currently, a variety of wild animals live here – including the largest population of bison in the USA – and unique geological processes, such as hot springs, are taking place.
The caldera is huge, its size is 49.89 km to 69.20 km, and in the event of a breakthrough, the consequences will affect the whole world.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the eruption can cause a number of consequences. This will cause both regional and global disasters, and may even cause a new ice age.
The US Geological Survey said: “If another major caldera-forming eruption occurs in Yellowstone, its consequences will be widespread.”
“Such an eruption will have regional consequences, such as falling ash and long-term (from a year to a decade) global climate change.
“Those parts of the surrounding states of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming that are closest to Yellowstone will be exposed to pyroclastic flows, while other places in the United States will be exposed to falling ash (the amount of ash will decrease with distance from the eruption) .
Scientists believe that Yellowstone may have caused the last ice age, and another eruption could lead to a drop in global temperature to 21C.
Changes can go on for years, causing mass extinction of both plants and animals, which will ultimately make people’s lives almost impossible.
The last eruption of the volcano occurred 631,000 years ago, and before that – 1.3 million years ago, which is approximately 725,000 years between each eruption.
Thus, the US Geological Survey claims that the next eruption is unlikely for 100,000 years. The rhyolite magma stone near Yellowstone is only 5–15% molten, so it’s unclear if the magma under the caldera is enough to start the eruption.
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