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For the docudrama, see Supervolcano (docudrama)
A
supervolcano is a
volcano that produces the largest and most
volume kinds of eruption on
Earth. The
Volcanic Explosivity Index of such eruptions varies, but the volume of ejected
tephra is enough to radically alter the
landscape and severely affect Global climate model for years, with
cataclysmic consequences for life (see also volcanic winter).
Word origin
The term was originally coined by the producers of the BBC
popular science program,
Horizon (BBC TV series), in 2000 to refer to these types of eruption. BBC TV Horizon, 3 February 2000, Supervolcanoes USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory That investigation brought the subject more into the public eye, leading to further studies of the possible effects.
- At first, supervolcano was not a technical term used in volcanology, but more recently, in 2003 and 2004, the term has been used in articles.
- Though there is no well-defined minimum explosive size for a "supervolcano", there are at least two types of volcanic eruption that have been identified as supervolcanoes: massive eruptions and large igneous provinces.
Large igneous provinces
A large igneous province (LIP) is an extensive region of basalts on a continental scale, resulting from
flood basalt eruptions. When created, these regions often occupy several million km² and have volumes on the order of 1 million km³. In most cases, the majority of this is laid down over an extended but geologically sudden period of about several million years.
Massive eruptions
Eruptions with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8 (VEI-8) are mega-colossal events that eject at least 1,000 cubic kilometer of pyroclastic material.
VEI-8 eruptions are so powerful that they form circular calderas rather than
mountains because the downward collapse of land at the eruption site fills emptied space in the
magma chamber beneath. The caldera can remain for millions of years after all volcanic activity at the site has ceased.
Known eruptions
.
VEI-8 volcanic events have included eruptions at the following locations. Estimates of the volume of erupted material are given in parentheses.
- Lake Taupo, North Island, New Zealand - Oruanui eruption 26,500 years ago (1,170 km³)
- Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia - 75,000 years ago (2,800 km³)
- Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, United States - 2.2 million years ago (2,500 km³) and 640,000 years ago (1,000 km³)
- La Garita Caldera, Colorado, United States - Source of the truly enormous eruption of the Fish Canyon Tuff 27.8 million years ago (~5,000 km³)
The Lake Toba eruption plunged the Earth into a volcanic winter, eradicating an estimated 60%Stanley H. Ambrose, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998 Knight, M.D., Walker, G.P.L., Ellwood, B.B., and Diehl, J.F., 1986, Stratigraphy, paleomagnetism, and magnetic fabric of the Toba Tuffs: Constraints on their sources and eruptive styles: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 10,355-10,382. Ninkovich, D., Sparks, R.S.J., and Ledbetter, M.T., 1978, The exceptional magnitude and intensity of the Toba eruption, Sumatra: An example of using deep-sea tephra layers as a geological tool: Bulletin Volcanologique, v. 41, p. 286-298. Rose, W.I., and Chesner, C.A., 1987, Dispersal of ash in the great Toba eruption, 75 ka: Geology, v. 15, p. 913-917. Simkin, T., and Siebert, L., 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Geoscience Press, Tucson, Arizona, 349 p. Williams, M.A.J., and Royce, K., 1982, Quaternary geology of the Middle Son Valley, north central India: Implications for prehistoric archaeology: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 38, p. 139-162. of the human population (although humans managed to survive even in the vicinity of the volcanoMichael Petraglia et al., Science v.317, p.114 (2007) ), and was responsible for the formation of sulfuric acid in the atmosphere.
Many other supermassive eruptions have also occurred in the geological past. Those listed below measured 7 on the VEI scale. Most of these were larger than Mount Tambora's eruption in 1815 (160 km³), which was the largest eruption in recorded history.
- Aira Caldera, Kyūshū, Japan - 22,000 years ago (110 km³)
- Mount Aso, Kyūshū, Japan - four large explosive eruptions between 300,000 to 80,000 years ago (Total volume 600 km³)
- Kikai Caldera, Ryukyu Islands, Japan - 6,300 years ago (150 km³ (bulk volume))
- Lake Taupo, North Island, New Zealand - 181 AD (100 km³)
- Long Valley Caldera, California, United States - 760,000 years ago (600 km³)
- Valle Grande, New Mexico, United States - 1.12 million years ago (~600 km³)
- Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, United States - 1.3 million years ago (280 km³)
- Bennett Lake Volcanic Complex, British Columbia/Yukon, Canada - 50 million years ago (850 km³)
- Bruneau-Jarbidge, Idaho, United States - 10-12 million years ago (>250 km³) (responsible for the Ashfall Fossil Beds 1,600 km to the east)
- Campi Flegrei, Naples, Italy - 12,000 years ago (Could be as much as 300 km³)
For large flood basalt eruptions, see
large igneous province.
Media portrayal
A National Geographic documentary called
Earth Shocks portrayed the destructive impact of the rapid eruption of Lake Toba some 75,000 years ago, which caused a phenomenon known as the
Millennial Ice Age that lasted for 1000 years and wiped out more than 60%Stanley H. Ambrose, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998Knight, M.D., Walker, G.P.L., Ellwood, B.B., and Diehl, J.F., 1986, Stratigraphy, paleomagnetism, and magnetic fabric of the Toba Tuffs: Constraints on their sources and eruptive styles: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 10,355-10,382.Ninkovich, D., Sparks, R.S.J., and Ledbetter, M.T., 1978, The exceptional magnitude and intensity of the Toba eruption, Sumatra: An example of using deep-sea tephra layers as a geological tool: Bulletin Volcanologique, v. 41, p. 286-298. Rose, W.I., and Chesner, C.A., 1987, Dispersal of ash in the great Toga eruption, 75 ka: Geology, v. 15, p. 913-917. Simkin, T., and Siebert, L., 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Geoscience Press, Tucson, Arizona, 349 p.Williams, M.A.J., and Royce, K., 1982, Quaternary geology of the Middle Son Valley, north central India: Implications for prehistoric archaeology: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 38, p. 139-162. of the global population of the time.
An eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano was originally one of the scenarios depicted in the docu-drama
End Day, but was excluded from all airings to date for unknown reasons and is only presently mentioned at the show's BBC website (dead as of May 18, 2007; Internet Archive version).
In 2005, a two-part television
docudrama entitled
Supervolcano (docudrama) was shown on BBC, the
Discovery Channel, and other television networks worldwide. It looked at the events that could take place if the
Yellowstone Caldera erupted. It featured footage of volcano eruptions from around the world and
computer-generated imagery depicting the event. According to the program, such an
eruption would have devastating effect across the globe and would cover virtually all of the
United States with at least 1 cm of volcanic ash, causing mass destruction in the nearby vicinity and killing
plants and wildlife across the
continent. The dramatic elements in the program were followed by
Supervolcano: The Truth About Yellowstone, a documentary about the evidence behind the
Film. The program had originally been scheduled to be aired in early
2005, but it was felt that this would be insensitive so soon after the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The program and its accompanying documentaries were released on
DVD region code simultaneously with its broadcast.
In 2006, the
Sci Fi Channel (United States) aired the documentary
Countdown to Doomsday (documentary) which featured a segment called "Supervolcano".
In the Stargate Atlantis episode
Inferno (Stargate Atlantis), the main characters are caught in the eruption of a supervolcano and escape using an Ancient warship.
See also
- Hotspot (geology)
- Toba catastrophe theory
- Disaster#Causes of hypothetical future disasters
References
-
External links
- Overview and Transcript of the original BBC program
- Yellowstone Supervolcano and Map of Supervolcanoes Around The World
- USGS Fact Sheet - Steam Explosions, Earthquakes, and Volcanic Eruptions - What's in Yellowstone's Future?
- Discovery Channel's site on "Supervolcano"
- Scientific American's The Secrets of Supervolcanoes
BBC - Science & Nature - Supervolcano
Website for the BBC factual drama Supervolcano ... The beauty of America's Yellowstone National Park masks one of the rarest and most destructive forces on Earth - a supervolcano.
BBC - Science & Nature - Supervolcano
Read about the Supervolcano programmes ... Beneath the beauty of Yellowstone. Amidst the stunning wilderness of America's most famous National Park, steam and hot water bubble and ...
Supervolcano - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A supervolcano or super volcanic eruption is a volcanic eruption which is in orders of magnitude greater than any volcano in historic times (> 200 cubic kilometers).
Supervolcano (docudrama) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Supervolcano is a 2005 BBC / Discovery Channel docudrama centered on the fictional eruption of the volcanic caldera of Yellowstone National Park.
Discovery Channel :: Supervolcano
America's first national park, Yellowstone, sits atop one of the largest volcanoes on Earth.
supervolcano
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Yellowstone Supervolcano
Yellowstone Supervolcano . Credit:BBC . It is little known that lying underneath one of The United States largest and most picturesque National Parks - Yellowstone Park - is one of ...
Molinare » Supervolcano
Production Company: BBC. Broadcaster: BBC 1. Director: Tony Mitchell. Producer: Ailsa Orr. TX Date: March 2005. Length: 2 x 60mins. Main Cast: Michael Riley: Richard ‘Rick ...
Supervolcano (2005) (TV)
Directed by Tony Mitchell. With Michael Riley, Gary Lewis, Shaun Johnston. A volcano in Yellowstone Park suddenly erupts. Visit IMDb for Photos, Showtimes, Cast, Crew, Reviews ...
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