Brind
10-09-2003, 05:15 PM
America's Yellowstone Park is a beautiful natural wilderness and destination for millions of tourists every year. Yet beneath the park lies a super-volcano that could wipe out the human race - and its latest eruption is overdue.
Scientists fear the super-volcano is preparing to erupt. The warning was signalled yesterday by Professor Bill McGuire of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre at University College, London.
"The Yellowstone super-volcano has been on a regular eruption cycle of 600,000 years," said Professor McGuire. "The last eruption was 640,000 years ago, so the next is long overdue."
Such an eruption would wipe out all life within 600 miles including the cities of Las Vegas, Seattle, Vancouver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Denver. There would be enough ash thrown into the atmosphere to block out the sun, causing global temperatures to plummet.
In late July part of Yellowstone was closed due to increased seismic activity in the area, including high ground temperature and volatile thermal springs. One of the US Geological Survey scientists, Liz Morgan, then discovered a huge bulge under Yellowstone Lake which was 2,000 feet long and had raised the bottom by 100 feet. The bulge has the potential to explode at any time.
"The inflated plain is a potential and serious hazard and possible precursor to a large hydrothermal explosion," Ms Morgan told a local newspaper.
Last month an earthquake of 4.4 on the Richter scale was measured in the south of the park. It seems the volcano is beginning a new period of activity. New York University geologist Michael Rampino, said, "It's not really a question of if it'll go off, it's a question of when."
Professor McGuire highlighted the epic scale of a super-volcano eruption. "The impact of a Yellowstone eruption is terrifying to comprehend," he said. "Molten rock would be flung 30 miles into the atmosphere.
"One thousand cubic kilometres of lava would pour out of the of the volcano, enough to coat the whole of the USA with a layer five inches thick. The explosion would be the loudest noise heard by man for 75,000 years.
"One day - perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in 50 years, perhaps in 10,000 years - it will erupt...bringing the bitter cold of a volcanic winter to planet Earth. Mankind may become extinct. There's nowhere to hide from the effects of a super-volcano."
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Looks like we are gonna be made extint yet again, if this Super Volcano doesn't wipe us out in the mean time we can always look forward to the giant Asteroid on March 21, 2014... mind you, party at Nicks on the 20th!! should be a day NOT to remember for long. :D
Scientists fear the super-volcano is preparing to erupt. The warning was signalled yesterday by Professor Bill McGuire of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre at University College, London.
"The Yellowstone super-volcano has been on a regular eruption cycle of 600,000 years," said Professor McGuire. "The last eruption was 640,000 years ago, so the next is long overdue."
Such an eruption would wipe out all life within 600 miles including the cities of Las Vegas, Seattle, Vancouver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Denver. There would be enough ash thrown into the atmosphere to block out the sun, causing global temperatures to plummet.
In late July part of Yellowstone was closed due to increased seismic activity in the area, including high ground temperature and volatile thermal springs. One of the US Geological Survey scientists, Liz Morgan, then discovered a huge bulge under Yellowstone Lake which was 2,000 feet long and had raised the bottom by 100 feet. The bulge has the potential to explode at any time.
"The inflated plain is a potential and serious hazard and possible precursor to a large hydrothermal explosion," Ms Morgan told a local newspaper.
Last month an earthquake of 4.4 on the Richter scale was measured in the south of the park. It seems the volcano is beginning a new period of activity. New York University geologist Michael Rampino, said, "It's not really a question of if it'll go off, it's a question of when."
Professor McGuire highlighted the epic scale of a super-volcano eruption. "The impact of a Yellowstone eruption is terrifying to comprehend," he said. "Molten rock would be flung 30 miles into the atmosphere.
"One thousand cubic kilometres of lava would pour out of the of the volcano, enough to coat the whole of the USA with a layer five inches thick. The explosion would be the loudest noise heard by man for 75,000 years.
"One day - perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in 50 years, perhaps in 10,000 years - it will erupt...bringing the bitter cold of a volcanic winter to planet Earth. Mankind may become extinct. There's nowhere to hide from the effects of a super-volcano."
-----------------------------
Looks like we are gonna be made extint yet again, if this Super Volcano doesn't wipe us out in the mean time we can always look forward to the giant Asteroid on March 21, 2014... mind you, party at Nicks on the 20th!! should be a day NOT to remember for long. :D