Yellowstone National Park: Super Volcano
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The flurry of earthquakes late in 2008 and early in 2009 generated a lot of interest in the Yellowstone super volcano. For reliable, up to date information about Yellowstone's quake activity, go to the United States Geological Society (USGS) website.
Dramatization: Super Volcano Eruption
The Nation's First National Park
On March 1, 1872, 2,219,789 acres were set aside as the nation's first national park: Yellowstone. The park covers most of Wyoming but also extends into Montana and Idaho. It spans 3,472 square miles, is home to a rich biodiversity of wildlife, features the popular Old Faithful geyser, the Boreal forest and... is a super volcano.
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Super Volcanoes
A super volcano is the most destructive force on the planet. Only a few exist in the world, as best we know, but because of massive magma and pressure build-ups, they erupt with a force tens of thousands of times greater than other eruptions. There have been an estimated 14 super volcanic eruptions throughout known history. It is even theorized that it was a super volcano, and not a giant asteroid impact, which is responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The last known super volcanic eruption occurred 75,000 years ago in Toba, Sumatra. Thousands of tons of ash were thrown into the atmosphere, blocking out light from the Sun and plunging the planet into a volcanic winter. Three quarters of all plant life were killed off and human population was eradicated by an estimated 60%.
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Mega Caldera
The crater left by a super volcanic eruption is called a mega caldera. In Yellowstone National Park the caldera is 45 miles long and 25 miles across. Experts know of at least three occasions in which the Yellowstone super volcano has erupted: 2.2 million years ago, 1.3 million years ago, and 640,000 years ago. If Yellowstone keeps to this schedule, we still have about half a million years til the next eruption.
Geologist Chuck Wicks of the U.S. Geological Survey says explosions of this magnitude "happen about every 600,000 years." Yellowstone, if it sticks to its history, isn't due just yet, but perhaps another super volcano is getting ready to blow somewhere else in the world.
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The Eruption
The devastating details: Be honest, this is what you've been waiting for. When, and it is when, the Yellowstone super volcano erupts, the first thing to happen will be a series of violent earthquakes. Then, as the magma pressure builds, there will be large, multiple volcanic explosions (for you geology experts, that's a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8, VEI-8) which could last as long as a week from a string of five large volcanoes across Idaho and Wyoming, spewing magma, ash and gases far into the atmosphere in volumes so large debris will rain down for thousands of square miles. Think Pompeii's Mount Vesuvius with a denser population.
Those people who are blown apart by the initial blasts will be the lucky ones... the rest will smother to death in the thick hot ash.
Lava flows hundreds of feet thick will bury a 40 square mile region around the eruption sites. Needless to say, Yellowstone National Park will be completely obliterated, and any nearby towns and cities will be completely wiped out by lava, ash, mudslides and pyroclastic flow. The death toll will soar into the millions and it could take decades or more for the nation, and the planet, to recover.
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The Good News
Most experts, scientists, geologists, volcanologists, etc., agree that an event of this magnitude isn't like to happen any time in the near future.
Constant Walker now writes under Artisan Walker
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Super Volcano: The Ticking Time Bomb Beneath Yellowstone National Park
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Yellowstone in the News
- Yellowstone Snowmobile Restrictions Upheld By Court Of AppealsThe Huffington Post18 hours ago
What's Your Reaction? CHEYENNE, Wyo. — With less than a month to go before snowmobile season roars to life again in Yellowstone National Park, litigation continues to swirl over a new federal cap on the maximum daily number of machines.
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Comments
Definitely. I remember St. Helens very well!
According to the estimates, it doesn't appear that western Oregon will be affected... directly. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Thanks for reading, Karen.
PS: I added a better video and removed the first two.
I find volcanoes both beautiful and scary at the same time. Thanks for your hub!
You're welcome, Woody. Thanks for checking it out.
great hub, very interesting read
Thanks, Amy.
Ive heard soo much about Yellowstone park, but not enough to know what it was actually about so thanks for the education..
You're welcome, and thanks for reading.
Good introduction to one of the most beautiful parks in the country. Unfortunately I was a baby when my parents took me, but they had a really good time because my then uncle was a park ranger and they got to stay with him and my aunt, which means they got to see parts of Yellowstone most people do not see. Great hub and thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, SweetiePie (that's just fun to type) and thanks for reading.
Hmm...blown apart or smother in hot ash....which would I choose? Gives new meaning to hot tub...yes? Nature is FAS IN NATING lol
Are we safe anywhere??
Mountains have fires and mountains of snow
I fear hurricanes and tornados
so where can I go?
=0 my poem for the day.
That's nice, Marisue... 7-)
well it's coming from a tired brain...geez I'm too young to be this old.
Hey... I'm too old to be this young!
LOL ever onward
I've always been fascinated with volcanoes. Did you know the hot spot responsible for yellowstone has migrated across southern Idaho over the last 12 million years? It's an area of relatively flat volcanic rock just south of the sawtooths. Craters of the moon is the same geological system.
I loved your pictures. Your style of writing is pretty cool too.
Again, so glad you stopped by. And thanks for the compliments. No, I didn't know that. It wasn't in the research I did, but it's fascianting. I didn't realize that hot-spots migrated, but I guess -if I think about- it makes sense. Everything else moves and shifts.
I was raised in White Sands, New Mexico and it shifts yearly...I'm thinking 6 inches or so...that's what my memory "remembers" from reading...shifting sands...
So, lets see, six inches per year, all the years since you were born. Wow, now you can tell people you were born in Colorado!
yeah that sounds a bit much...wonder if it was a 6th of an inch.....probly should google it hahaha
Ah! Go with my version... you'll get better laughs!
I agree - volcanos can be both fascinating and scary! As for safe places - well, I considered moving to the Norht Pole, but I hear that will be melted in a few months - and even the one place I thought of moving to recently - Costa Rica, is riddled with volcanos!
Where, indeed? Well, we might as well adjust as best we can to where we are and hope for the best! As for Yellowstone, if and when it blows, I am afraid that where I live will be under a great deal of ash. Computer models project the ash will be very deep over Northern Illinois. So I am keeping several extra shovels on hand, just in case! LOL!!!
Where indeed. Oregon is out of the computer-projected ashfall path (hope the wind doesn't change that day!), but with a volcanic event of that magnitude the only safe place is underground ...unless it triggers an earthquake, like the "Big One" in California everybody's waiting for
...Underground on another continent. I think.
Where's a Survivalist when you need one?
CW- I have been Yellowstone and was simply amazed by the wildlife. We saw Bisons, Elks, and a baby grizzly. It was one of the most amazing national parks I have ever been to. Great hub.
Thank you, Country, for reading, I do believe you are my best reader. Thank you!
Glad you liked the photos. Parks are AMAZING! Doesn't matter which one, does it?
Well I do find natural beauty in many parks but Yellowstone I found unique due to abundance of wildlife. Old faithful is really a big geyser. I did couple of treks and the natural landscape of different colors of soil is amazing too. I like your writing style and content. Thanks for giving me that title "Best Reader". I would in return say you are one of my "Best Writer".
Thanks again! ;-)
The only time I was actually at Yellowstone was as a very young kid, but I remember how huge everything seemed to me.
Great intro to the subject! Did you see the news today? Yellowstone's getting some funny earthquake activity all the sudden.
-Kerry, thanks, and no I hadn't heard that yet. That's very disturbing news!
OH MY GOD!!!!! MMEEEAAALLLKK!!!!!
Hi Annie. Thanks for reading. Is that "milk"?
What are the chances, if you can tell me,of there being an earlier eruption like around this life time.
Good question, Jimbo. As of Jan 5, '09, there had been over 500 eruptions at Yellowstone. Then there is this rather disturbing warning posted by geologist Christopher C. Sanders on January 1, 2009:
"I am advising all State officials around Yellowstone National Park for a potential State of Emergency. In the last week over 252 earthquakes have been observed by the USGS. We have a 3D view on the movement of magma rising underground. We have all of the pre warning signs of a major eruption from a super volcano. - I want everyone to leave Yellowstone National Park and for 200 miles around the volcano caldera."
I heard something about there being signs of a possible eruption. I guess I heard right. Thats the reason why I asked.
Do you know how I can get more info on the yellowstone volcano activities.
Yes I do, Jimbo, and I'm glad you're back. Disregard the above "warning." The credentials of the "geologist" are not reputable. It is even doubtful that he's actually a geologist!
I just got this link from a cousin (he's a computer professor), it's the kind of site I've been looking for, with reliable up-to-date info about Yellowstone. http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/
OK, so it was a gag, Good
And thanks for the link,
oh how long you keepin this page open.
You're welcome... he had me fooled, too! A search for his name on the USGS website brings up nothing. He's a complete farce.
This blog is open permanently. I wrote this story almost nine months ago after hearing about the Yellow Super Volcano on History Channel, but recently, because of all the quakes, it's been getting an increased amount of daily views. And I've intro-ed this story with a USGS link so readers have a resource for reliable, up to date info.
i know i watched the film at skool and its great movie arsome
There was also an excellent piece on History Channel.
Nice! I just learned something new today! Thanks for the hub!
You're very welcome, Single Mama. Thanks for reading.
We spent two days sightseeing in Yellowstone the year with all the fires. Spent the rest of the two weeks vacation in the Grand Tetons. Gorgeous part of the country!
With the thin earth crust in Yellowstone and all the constant changing patterns of fumeroles, geyers and geologic activity it was fun to see but also a bit unsettling.
As to the choice of being smothered in ash or going with the first blast........I choose the latter. May as well get it over quickly! LOL
Hi Peggy, thanks for reading. It's a fascinating, and terrifying, place, eh?
I've gotta agree with you - quick and easy!
Great read! I just did a project on this and i'm glad to see that my info basically matches what you found out. There are so many numbers relating to this volcano that i just sort of had to pick the ones that sounded the best. It is kind of scary to think about what will happen when the thing blows, but i don't think it's gonna happen any time soon. I'm not worried; i just find it all interesting. I think it would be fun to be a geologist in the park; so much cool stuff to study!
Thank you. I got the same impression: sacry and interesting.
Karen Ellis says:
2 years ago
I've never been to Yellowstone - seen plenty of pictures. Of course, here in Oregon, we should be used to the idea of volcanos.