Super Volcanoes Flashcards
What are some of the main differences between a volcano and a super volcano?
Super volcano much larger in size
Super can erupt over 11000 times more material
Super don’t have a peak cone
Can have global effects
What are the differences between a super volcano and a normal volcano?
Form large depression called calderas
Super volcanoes erupt less frequently
What is a super volcano?
A volcano on a massive scale that can erupt at least 1000 km cubed of material
What is a caldera?
A depression that marks the collapsed magma chamber
How is a super volcano formed?
When magma from earths core rises to the crust but can’t break through the surface and is unable to erupt. Pressure builds up over thousands of years until an earthquake cracks the crust causing an explosion equal to 1000 atomic bombs
What could the local effects be?
2.5 mile high ash cloud 10000km cubed of lava Everything within a 100miles radius destroyed 2/3 of USA uninhabitable 87000 could die
What could the global consequences be?
Europe could be up to 5 degrees colder
Nuclear winter could result in mini ice age
Sulphur released during explosion could
build up in atmosphere causing acid rain
Monsoon rains in Asia would fall causing mass starvation in India and China which rely on water to grow crops
