For several years the Yellowstone volcano has been causing active controversy among scientists and fear in the eyes of ordinary inhabitants of the Earth. This caldera is located in the United States, it does not matter in which state, because it can destroy an entire nation in a matter of days. Predictions about the alleged explosion change over and over again with the arrival of new data on the behavior of natural phenomena in the area of Yellowstone Park, but the latest news makes you think about the future of every person on the planet.
What is so special about Yellowstone Volcano?
Yellowstone Caldera is not an ordinary volcano, as its eruption is more like the explosion of hundreds of nuclear bombs. It is a deep hollow containing magma and covered with a solidified layer of ash since the last activity. The area of this natural monster is approximately 4 thousand square meters. km. The height of the volcano is 2805 meters, the diameter of the crater is difficult to estimate, since, according to scientists, it stretches for hundreds of kilometers.
When Yellowstone wakes up, a real disaster on a global scale will begin. The earth in the crater area will completely go underground, and the magma bubble will fly up. Hot lava flows will cover the territory for hundreds of kilometers, as a result of which all living things will be completely destroyed. Further, the situation will not become easier, as dust and volcanic gases will capture an ever larger area. Small ash, if it gets into the lungs, will disrupt breathing, after which people will instantly go to another world. The dangers in North America will not end there, as the likelihood of earthquakes and tsunamis that can destroy hundreds of cities increases.
The consequences of the explosion will affect the entire world, as the accumulation of vapor from the Yellowstone volcano will envelop the entire planet. The smoke will make it difficult for the sun's rays to pass through, which will trigger the onset of a long winter. The temperature in the world on average will drop to -25 degrees. How does this phenomenon threaten Russia? Experts believe that the country is unlikely to be affected by the explosion itself, but the consequences will affect the entire remaining population, as there will be an acute shortage of oxygen, perhaps due to a drop in temperature, there will be no plants left, and then animals.
We recommend reading about Mount Etna.
Preconditions for a large-scale explosion
No one knows when the supervolcano will explode, since no source has a reliable description of the behavior of such a giant. According to geological data, it is known that there have been three eruptions in history: 2.1 million years ago, 1.27 million years ago and 640 thousand years ago. According to calculations, the next explosion may fall on the lot of contemporaries, but no one knows the exact date.
In 2002, the activity of the caldera increased, which is why research began more often on the territory of the reserve. Attention was drawn to various factors in the area where the crater is located, among them:
- earthquakes;
- volcanic activity;
- geysers;
- movement of tectonic plates;
- water temperature in nearby water bodies;
- animal behavior.
Currently, there are restrictions on free visits in the park, and in the area of a possible explosion, the entrance for tourists is closed. The monitoring revealed an increase in the activity of geysers, as well as an increase in the amplitude of earthquakes. In September 2016, a video appeared on YouTube that the caldera began its eruption, but the state of the Yellowstone volcano has not changed significantly yet. True, tremors are gaining strength, so the risk is getting higher.
Throughout October, the supervolcano is monitored continuously, as everyone wants to know what is really happening with the natural "bomb". Photos from space are constantly analyzed, coordinates of earthquake epicenters are noted, it is checked whether the caldera surface has cracked.
Today it is difficult to say how much is left before the explosion, because even 2019 may be the last in human history. There are many predictions about an impending disaster, because even Wanga saw in a dream pictures of "nuclear winter", which is very similar to the consequences after the eruption of the Yellowstone volcano.
