 Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming sits atop the largest super volcano hotspot on the planet. With a hotspot that covers 136 acres that has been rising since 2004 many predict it is not a question of "if" Yellowstone will erupt, but "when". A hotspot is the "business end" of a mantle shaft. The head of the Yellowstone shaft is 50 miles underground and several hundred miles wide. Also scientists have revealed that Yellowstone Park has been on a regular erruption cycle of approximately every 600,000 years. The last eruption is estimated at 640,000 years ago, so we are overdue for an erruption. It has been estimated that if Yellowstone erupted at its maximum capability, the energy could be 1,000 times larger than Mt. Saint Helens. Scientists say that an eruption would presumably be predicated by increased earthquake activity and minor volcanic eruptions, although no one can be sure since no one has ever witnessed the eruption of a supervolcano. Add that to the fact that seismic activity has ncreased dramatically with approximately 900 quakes occuring the week after December 26, 2008 with the largest having a magnitude of 3.9. The swarm of tremors is the largest series of back-to-back quakes to occur in years. If Yellowstone did erupt, scientists say it would result in the largest natural disaster in the history of mankind with thousands of tons of ash that would black out the sun and result in a world-wide nuclear winter. Some say it would even block out sunlight for 5 or more years resulting in worldwide famine. Links:
http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/2282.asp
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/supervolcano/under/under.html
http://www.solcomhouse.com/yellowstone.htm Do you believe volcanos will result in our doom in 2012? Let us know what you think. If you have any comments on the above theory, let us know by leaving your comments below
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Volcanic Eruption
