There are 1532 volcanoes on our planet, however, these data are approximate and no one knows the exact answer. In the Pacific Ring of Fire there are the most.
The leader in the number of volcanoes is the United States. On the territory of this state there are 180 giants. The scientific world is also aware of the existence of 20 supervolcanoes on Earth. Their eruption can lead to serious climate change on the planet. The most famous is Yellowstone Volcano.
The term "super volcano"
This term first appeared in 2000. The BBC channel broadcast the documentary popular science film "Horizon", where the concept of "supervolcano" was used. Under this name was meant a powerful eruption, which reached a volcanic scale of 8 points.
The main difference between a supervolcano and stratovolcanoes is the absence of a pronounced cone. To date, the largest and most mature for an eruption is Yellowstone Volcano.
Location
The world famous supervolcano is located in the United States. The size of its caldera is impressive - 55 km to 72 km. Many will be interested to know more precisely where the Yellowstone volcano is located. Its caldera is located in northwestern Wyoming. It occupies the vast territory of Yellowstone National Park. Caldera sizes were determined in the course of studies that took place in the 1960s and 1970s. Scientist from the US Geological Survey Robert Christiansen found out that the volcano occupies the third part of the nature reserve.
Super Volcano Eruption
Recently, scientists have been worried by the question - when will the Yellowstone volcano explode, and their fears are not groundless. The pressure in the magma chamber is increasing, and seismic activity in the area of the National Park has also increased in recent months. In February alone, over 10 days more than 200 strong tremors were recorded.
According to scientists, the Yellowstone volcano has already erupted at least three times:
- The first case dates back 2.1 million years ago. After this cataclysm, the Island Park caldera was formed and deposits of tuff called Hackleberry Ridge formed. It is assumed that this eruption led to the decay of mountain ranges, and the height of the emissions reached 50 km. About a quarter of the North American continent was covered in volcanic ash.
- The second time a supervolcano erupted 1.3 million years ago. He threw more than 280 km3 of volcanic rocks from his bowels. As a result of the eruption, one of the largest calderas was formed - Henris Fork.
- The third time the Yellowstone volcano erupted 640 thousand years ago, this time its activity was two times lower than during the first eruption. Natural cataclysm led to the formation of tuff formations of Lava Creek. The third eruption caused subsidence of the cone, on the site of which a huge hollow formed, the diameter of which is 150 km.
At present, the condition of the Yellowstone volcano worries many scientists. At the moment, they estimate the possibility of an eruption as 0.00014% per year. However, these assumptions are based on these calculi of time intervals that passed between the eruptions of a supervolcano.
But as recent observations made in the area of the National Park show, the geological processes are irregular, so it is impossible to determine exactly when the Yellowstone volcano explodes.
The highest geyser awakened
On March 15, 2018, the Steamboat geyser erupted, which has been sleeping since 2014. It is considered the highest active geyser. The eruption happened around 19:30. This phenomenon was watched by dozens of people who said that emissions of hot vapors were accompanied by a roar, as if a steamer or a locomotive were buzzing. Small tremors were also felt.
According to historical reports, a geyser eruption occurs at intervals of 1 time in 50 years. Although during this cycle he can throw out clubs of steam much more often. The geyser itself is located in a zone that is very popular among tourists. It is called the Gates Norris Pool. The last eruptions occurred in 2013, and then in 2014. A series of short periods of activity from 1989 to 1991 was also observed. Previously, he erupted only in 1911 and 1961.
Scientists believe that changes in the frequency of activity of the geyser are closely related to the Yellowstone volcano, the size of which is impressive. In the place where it is located, intense fluctuations of the earth's crust are observed, caused by the advancement of magma.
Affected Area and Consequences
The size of the volcano is 55 by 72 km. Therefore, it is not surprising that the probability of its eruption scares many. The explosion of a supervolcano threatens not only the destruction of the United States, but all of humanity. The planet will suffer tremendous damage in the environmental sphere. According to scientists, the consequences will be dire:
- there will be a decrease in air temperature by about 21 degrees;
- entire populations of flora and fauna will be destroyed;
- at least 87 thousand people will die.
Scientists make regular observations of seismic and volcanic activity in this region. A sleeping volcano is showing ever more readiness for an eruption. In October 2017, black smoke was observed, which seriously frightened the local population. Interestingly, smoke fell from the famous geyser “Old Servant”.
This phenomenon is really strange. In the normal state, a geyser threw vapors and hot water to the height of a nine-story building. The frequency of eruptions is 45-125 minutes. However, this time, instead of water and vapors, black smoke poured out of the geyser. There is no explanation for this phenomenon. Most likely, there was a fire of organic substances that rose to the surface of the soil.
Warning measures
To prevent a possible eruption of a supervolcano, the US government is funding programs led by NASA.
It is planned to build a geothermal power plant, which will make it possible to reduce the pressure of the magma bubble. In order not to provoke an eruption by accidental ingress of gases into the rock cavity, they want to use the horizontal drilling method. It is planned to allocate more than 3.5 billion US dollars for this project.