The term "supervolcano" implies an eruption of magnitude 8 on the Volcano Explosivity Index, meaning that more than 1,000 cubic kilometers (240 cubic miles) of magma (partially molten rock) are erupted. S3 IHE GE 2014/Chan ML

VEI- 5 Plinian, Mt St Helens VEI 3 Vulcanian Montserrat VEI 1 Hawaiian

VEI 6 Ultra-Plinian Mt Pinatubo

VEI 8 Imagine 100 Pinatubos erupting at the same time

 Indonesia: Lake Toba  USA: Yellowstone National Park  USA: Long Valley – California  New Zealand: Lake Taupo  USA: Valles Caldera – New Mexico  Japan: Aira

Supervolcano !

Huge caldera, so big it could only be seen from space

 There is a higher % of gas in the magma  The magma comes from the Mantle (not subduction)  A large volume of magma was ready to erupt  Lava is more viscous  Increase in frequency of earthquakes may open fractures just above the chamber  Eruptions occur simultaneously from a ring of vents.

earthmountainview.com

 Regional effects:  falling ash would cover the surrounding states: Montana, Idaho and Wyoming  Thousands of death, homelessness,  Towns and cities would be instantly wiped out  Great impact to the economy  Calderas would be formed  Global effects:  changes to global climate  Devastation of world agriculture, disruption of food supplies  Mass starvation  Threat to millions of people around the world

 Caldera - created from large, explosive eruptions of felsic pyroclastic material. The caldera is created when the roof of the magma chamber collapses.  Can be 10’s km’s across  Different from a crater Supervolcan oes and calderas ! E.g.,  Yellowstone, WY, 1 m.y.

Which type of volcano would you rather live beside and why? Cinder cone Stratovolcano(composite) Shield volcano Supervolcano