The Environmental Affects
of Yellowstone Erupting-
Yellowstone park facts-
- 3,472 square miles
- 67 species of mammals including bison and wolves
•An active volcano
•Approximately 1,000-3,000 earthquakes annually
•Approximately 10,000 thermal features
•More than 300 geysers
The Yellowstone caldera's volume is
enough to fill more than three lake Michigan's.
Next, the caldera would erupt and send magma and ash high into the atmosphere, producing enough debris to cover the entire western half of the united states in a four-foot deep layer of ash.
It would destroy everything within 60 miles, at least.
Ash, thrown high into the atmosphere, would circulate the globe, causing an ash cloud that could cast the earth in a shadow for days.
The ash in the atmosphere would in the long run, alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere for a decade.
- There are some predictions that all this ash covering much of the continental USA would create inhospitable conditions in the Midwest for a decade. ( This is because scientists have noted that it takes about 10 years after a super eruption for the vegetation to come back, depending on rainfall)
- Some scientists worry that the ash cloud around the globe would cool the earth off too much, and halt world agricultural development- causing massive food shortages.
- -( This is debated because the ash in Yellowstone doesn't contain much sulfur- which blocks sunlight, so the effects might not be so bad.)
Scientists can only estimate about the effects of Yellowstone erupting -
humans have never witnessed a super eruption.
Geologists can look at the evidence left from Yellowstone's previous eruptions as well as other volcanoes.
We do know that Yellowstone has had an eruption every 600,000 years, and it has been 640,000 years since the last one.
There are scientific monitors around the park keeping track of how quickly the caldera rises.
There's no way to stop a volcano from erupting.
Its possible that Yellowstone will go out with a whimper instead of a bang- or not erupt at all.
Time will only tell.
I take no credit for any and all pictures shown.
The People-
- The ash fall would be heavy enough to collapse roofs in states nearest to Yellowstone.
- Toxic gasses and hot lava would kill anyone in the near area. Afterwords, ash would make it hard to breath.
- There are estimates that 87,000 people would die immediately.
Environmental Affects-
What would the Eruption look like?
Yellowstone has erupted majorly 3 times in the last 2.1 million years, the last eruption was 640,000 years ago. Each Yellowstone eruption has been a thousand times more powerful than Mt. Saint Helen's eruption in 1980.
- The ash from the volcanic eruption would smother the local plants, and cut them off from sunlight.
- Toxic and acidic chemicals in the ash make it hard for the plants to live.
- The ash falling over the land would pollute fresh water supplies.
- Animals that were not killed in the initial eruption develop skin and eye irritations from the ash, and also starve from lack of food and water.
The initial effects-
First- as the volcano rapidly builds up pressure,tremors and earth quakes would swarm surrounding areas.
However- there is a lighter side to this:
- Scientists do not believe that there will be any mass-extinctions.
- After the short-term deaths of nearby plants and animals, volcanic ash mixed with the soil holds more water than normal soil, providing the plants with the nutrients they need.
Yellow Stone National Park
The geological impact-
The Volcanic Power behind
Yellowstone
Yellowstone national park is
situated above a volcanic hot-spot, a caldera volcano.
This volcanic energy supplies the geothermal energy for all the geysers and fumaroles inside the park.
What is a Caldera?
A caldera is an volcanic hot spot or volcano that has caved in on its self, concealing the magma chamber under layers of rocks. The magma and pressure build and build, leading up to a violent eruption.
We do know from other volcanic eruptions, what might happen if Yellowstone Erupts:
- Earth quakes and lava flows would devastate near areas.
- Ash would be pollute water and kill plants
- Ash would shade the earth
- Many people would die
- It would take a decade for the area to recover
Credits-
What will happen?
Britt,Robert Roy, Live Science.com
http://www.livescience.com/200-super-volcano-challenge-civilization-geologists-warn.html
Connor, Steve, Rense.com
http://rense.com/general63/yellowstonesslumbering.htm
And finally, Yellowstone National Parks own web page-
http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/index.htm
Discovery channel team, Curiocity.com
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110119-yellowstone-park-supervolcano-eruption-magma-science/
Handwerk, Brains, National Geographic
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110119-yellowstone-park-supervolcano-eruption-magma-science/
Sealy, Amanda Cnn.com "How a super volcano can threaten earth"
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/30/us/wus-supervolcanoes-yellowstone/index.html
Wolchover, Natalie, Huffington Post
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-unlikely_n_1569214.html