Supervolcano - Yellowstone Flashcards
What is a supervolcano?
A volcano capable of creating an eruption which reaches VEI 8: it is much bigger than a normal volcano!
What are the difference between a volcano and a super volcano?
A normal volcano tends to be a cone shape, whereas a supervolcano doesn’t: it is flat until an eruption, when a CALDERA is formed.
Their eruptions are much bigger: 1000 cubic KM of material is erupted, compared to 1 cubic km in a large ‘normal’ eruption.
What is likely to happen in a super eruption?
Utter devastation is likely!
Magma could be flung 50km into the sky!
Virtually all life up to 1000km from the eruption would be killed by falling ash, pyroclastic flows and the force of the eruption.
1000 cubic KM of material emitted - this would cover ALL of the USA in a layer over 10cm thick!!
Ash would block out the sun and trigger a volcanic winter where temperatures plummet and crops would fail.
How might people in the UK respond?
No air travel allowed.
Panic buying of food and water could cause riots!
What does VEI stand for?
Volcanic Explosivity Index - which goes from 1 to 8.
VEI 2 is ten times bigger than VEI 1; VEI 3 is 100 times bigger than VEI 1 and so on.
