How big would the Yellowstone ash cloud be?
How big would the Yellowstone ash cloud be? An eruption at Yellowstone would result in a cloud of ash more than 500 miles wide, stretching across nearly the entire western United States. The explosion could be so incredibly large that it could plunge the entire planet into a volcanic winter.
How far would the damage go if Yellowstone erupted?
If the Yellowstone supervolcano ever erupted, it would bring about a calamity for most of the United States. The supervolcano would spew deadly volcanic ash for thousands of miles across the entire country.
What would be the safest place if Yellowstone erupts?
A: For the most likely type of volcanic eruption in Yellowstone, everywhere would be safe except in the immediate vicinity of the advancing lava flow. In the highly improbable event of a large catastrophic eruption, the great the distance from the eruptive center, the safer it would be.
How long would the winter last after a Yellowstone eruption?
Location of past Yellowstone super-eruptions That triggered a dramatic 6- to 10-year global winter and (according to some) may have nearly wiped out the nascent human race. On average, the Earth has seen roughly one super-eruption every 100,000 years, although that's not an ironclad law.
How big would the Yellowstone volcano eruption be?
The total energy released would be equivalent to an 875,000 megaton explosion. The shockwave would kill 90,000 people. Most of the lava would fall back into the crater.
Would Yellowstone cause an ice age?
No. A very large volcanic eruption would cause a severe cold period called a volcanic winter, but not an ice age. Volcanic eruptions cool the planet by creating a fine aerosol of sulfuric acid in the stratosphere. The highly reflective droplets prevent a portion of the sun's light from reaching and heating the surface.
What is the biggest threat in Yellowstone?
Yellowstone's greatest geological threat isn't a supervolcano. It's a magnitude-7 earthquake. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – While concerns about a potential eruption of the supervolcano beneath this iconic park may garner the most alarming headlines, a more likely hazard in the coming decades is a large earthquake.
How big is the magma chamber in Yellowstone?
The magma chamber is believed to be about 40 by 80 kilometers across, similar in size to the overlying Yellowstone caldera. The top of the chamber is about 8 km deep and the bottom is around 16 km deep.
How big would the blast radius of Yellowstone be?
Based on past research and the general location of the volcano itself, the blast radius of Yellowstone's calderas is quite large. When it comes to lava and magma flows spewing forth from this volcanic eruption, Yellowstone National Park would likely need to evacuate everyone within a 40 to 50 mile radius.
Could humans survive Yellowstone eruption?
Can we survive a Yellowstone eruption? A massive eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano would spread deadly ash for thousands of miles, killing plant life and affecting humans in its path. Humans who were in its path would surely die, but it would not mean the extinction of the entire human race.
What would the ash coverage be if Yellowstone erupts?
Such an eruption would produce ash columns that exceed 10 km (6 mi) and cover much of the United States with some ash.
How much co2 would Yellowstone release?
Loosely expanding those figures based on the park's underlying geology, they suggest that each year the entire park may emit about 44 million tons of carbon dioxide, a colorless, odorless and incombustible gas.