Do you know how many active volcanoes on our planet? About six hundred. This is relatively small, given that more than a thousand are no longer threatening humanity, since they have cooled down. More than a dozen thousand volcanoes hid under the surface of sea and ocean waters. Yet the danger of a volcanic eruption exists in many countries. Near Indonesia there are more than a hundred, in the west of America there are about ten, there are "rattling mountains" in Japan, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands. Today we will talk about the strongest volcanic eruptions that claimed many lives, leaving a noticeable imprint on the history of civilization. We will get acquainted with the most dangerous representatives of these formidable mountains. We will find out if Yellowstone volcano, which worries scientists around the world, is worth fearing today. Perhaps we’ll start with him.
Supervolcano Yellowstone
To date, there are twenty supervolcanoes by volcanologists, compared with which the remaining 580 are nothing. They are located in Japan, New Zealand, California, New Mexico and other places. But the most dangerous of the entire group is Yellowstone Volcano. Today this monster raises the fears of all scientists, as it is ready to spew tons of lava to the surface of the earth.
Dimensions of Yellowstone, where it is located
This giant is located in the west of America, more precisely, in the northwest, in the region of Wyoming. First discovered a dangerous mountain in 1960, it was noticed by a satellite. The size of the giant is about 72 x 55 kilometers, and this is almost a third of the 900, 000 hectares of the entire Yellowstone National Park, more precisely, its park part.
The volcano Yellowstone today stores in its bowels a huge amount of hot magma, the temperature of which reaches 1000 degrees. Tourists owe her a lot of hot springs. The fire bubble is located at a depth of almost 8 kilometers.
Yellowstone Eruptions
Many millennia ago, this giant already watered the earth with an abundant stream of lava, and sprinkled tons of ash on top. The largest volcanic eruption, it was also the first, according to scientists, occurred about two million years ago. It is assumed that then Yellowstone threw over 2, 500 cubic kilometers of rock, which took off 50 kilometers above the surface of the earth. This is power!
About 1.2 million years ago, a formidable volcano repeated the eruption. It was not as strong as the first, and emissions were ten times less.
The last, third unrest occurred about 640 years ago. The largest volcanic eruption at that time cannot be called, but it was during it that the walls of the crater collapsed, and today we can observe the caldera that appeared during that period.
Should I be afraid of the Yellowstone eruption in the near future?
With the beginning of the second millennium, scientists began to notice ongoing changes in the behavior of the Yellowstone volcano. What guarded them?
- From 2007 to 2013, that is, for six years, the land covering the caldera rose two meters. Compared with the last twenty years before, the rise was only a few centimeters.
- There are new hot geysers.
- The strength of earthquakes and their frequency in the caldera region has increased since 2000.
- Underground gases began to find a way out directly from the ground.
- The water temperature in the nearest bodies of water rose immediately by several degrees.
Residents of the North American continent got excited about this news. Scientists around the world agree: to be an eruption. When? Most likely, already in this century.
Why is an eruption dangerous?
The largest eruption of Yellowstone volcano is expected in our time. Scientists suggest that his strength will be no less than with previous unrest. If we compare the power of the explosion, then it can be equated to the dumping of more than a thousand atomic bombs on the ground. Such an explosion can destroy everything within a radius of 150-160 kilometers, and another 1, 600 kilometers around will fall into the "dead zone".
In addition, the Yellowstone eruption may contribute to the start of eruptions of other volcanoes, and this will entail the appearance of huge tsunamis. Rumor has it that the United States government is getting ready for this event: they are making durable shelters, creating a plan for evacuation to other continents.
It is difficult to say whether this will be the largest volcanic eruption in history, and yet it is dangerous, and not only for the states, but for the whole world. If the emission height is 50 kilometers, then in two days a dangerous cloud of smoke will begin to spread actively. Residents of Australia and India will be the first to enter the disaster area. For a period of more than two years, you will have to get used to the cold, as the sun's rays will not be able to break through the thickness of the ashes, and winter will come out of schedule. The temperature drops to -25 degrees, and in places to -50. In conditions of cold, lack of normal air, hunger, only the strongest can survive.
Etna
This is an active stratovolcano, one of the most powerful in the world and the largest in Italy. Interested in the coordinates of Mount Etna? It is located in Sicily (right coast), near Catania and Messina. The geographical coordinates of Mount Etna are 37 ° 45 '18 "north latitude, 14 ° 59' 43" east longitude.
Now the height of Etna is 3429 meters, but it varies from eruption to eruption. This volcano is the highest point in Europe, outside the Alps, the Caucasus Mountains and the Pyrenees. This giant has a rival - the well-known Vesuvius, who at one time destroyed an entire civilization. But Etna is more than 2 times.
Etna is a harsh volcano. It has 200 to 400 craters located on its sides. Once every three months, hot lava flows from one of them, and about once every 150 years, really serious eruptions occur that permanently destroy villages. However, this fact is not upsetting or frightening to local residents, they are actively populating the slopes of a dangerous mountain.
List of the largest volcanic eruptions: chronology of Etna's activity
About six thousand years ago, Etna pretty mischievous. During the eruption, a huge piece of its eastern part was broken off and thrown into the sea. In 2006, volcanologists published the news that this fragment, falling into the water, created a huge tsunami.
The first eruption of this giant occurred, according to scientists, in 1226 before the advent of our era.
In 44 BC, a severe eruption occurred. Up to Egypt, a cloud of ash spread, due to which there was no further harvest.
122 year - a city called Catania was almost wiped off the face of the earth.
In 1669, the volcano, by its eruption, greatly altered the outlines of the coast. Ursino Castle stood by the water, but after the eruption it turned out to be 2.5 km from the coast. Lava penetrated the walls of Catania, absorbing housing of 27 thousand people.
In 1928, the old city of Mascali was destroyed by an eruption. Believers remembered this event; they believe that a real miracle happened. The fact is that before the religious procession, the flow of red-hot lava stopped. A chapel was later built near him. Lava froze near the building in 1980.
In the period from 1991 to 1993, one of the most terrible eruptions occurred, which almost destroyed the city of Zafferan.
The last major volcanic eruptions occurred in 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2015. But these were not the most serious disasters. Locals call the mountain good, as the lava flows quietly to the sides, and does not splash up with terrible fountains.
Should Etna be Wary?
Due to the fact that the eastern part of the volcano has broken off, Etna is now erupting effusively, that is, without an explosion, the lava flows down its sides in slow streams.
Scientists today are worried that the behavior of the giant is changing, and soon it will erupt explosively, that is, with an explosion. With such an eruption, thousands of people can suffer.
Guarapuava-Tamarana-Sarusas
The name of this volcano is difficult to pronounce even the most professional speaker! But his name is not so scary as how he erupted about 132 million years ago.
The nature of its explosive eruption, such specimens have been accumulating lava for thousands of years, and then pour it on the ground in incredible quantities. This happened with this giant, which spilled over 8 thousand cubic kilometers of red-hot slurry.
This monster is located in the Trapp province of Paraná тенtendek.
We offer you to get acquainted with the largest volcanic eruptions in history.
Sakurajima
This volcano is located in Japan, and it is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Since 1955, this giant has been in constant activity, which scares local residents, and not only them.
The last eruption was in 2009, but not very serious, when compared with what happened in 1924.
The volcano began to signal about its eruption by strong tremors. Most of the city residents managed to leave the danger zone.
After this eruption, "Sakura Island" cannot be called an island. So much lava erupted from the vent of this giant that an isthmus was formed that connected the island with another - Kyushu.
After this eruption, Sakurajima quietly poured lava for about a year, which made the bottom of the bay much higher.
Vesuvius
It is located in Napoli and is the only "living" volcano on the territory of continental Europe.
Its strongest eruption occurs in 79 years. In August, the 24th, the giant woke up from hibernation and destroyed the cities of Ancient Rome: Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabia.
The last major volcanic eruption occurred in 1944.
The height of this formidable giant is 1281 meters.
Colima
Located in Mexico. This is one of the most dangerous representatives of its kind. He erupted more than forty times, starting in 1576.
The last major eruption was recorded in 2005, June 8th. The government urgently evacuated residents of nearby villages, as a huge ash cloud rose above them - more than five kilometers in height. It threatened the lives of people.
The highest point of this formidable monster is 4625 meters. Today, the volcano is not only dangerous for the inhabitants of Mexico.
Galeras
Located in Colombia. The height of this giant reaches 4276 meters. Over the past seven thousand years, there have been about six major eruptions.
In 1993, one of the eruptions began. Unfortunately, research was carried out on the volcano, and six geologists never returned home.
In 2006, the volcano again threatened to flood the neighborhood with lava, so people were evacuated from local settlements.
Mauna Loa
This is a formidable guardian of the Hawaiian Islands. It is considered the largest volcano on the whole Earth. The volume of this giant, given the underwater part, is about 80 thousand cubic kilometers.
The last time a strong eruption was noted in 1950. And the last, but not strong, happened in 1984.
Mauna Loa is on the list of the most powerful, dangerous and largest volcanoes in the world.
