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Known for its wildlife and geothermal features, the 3,472 square kilometer park is located in the western United States. The park is located on a super volcano – Yellowstone Caldera – which, if it erupted, could kill up to 100,000 people and change the planet’s climate, according to experts.
A “super eruption” in Yellowstone Park is not humanity’s greatest concern, volcano expert Clive Oppenheimer said. According to the scientist, people need not worry about the Yellowstone Caldera as it is unlikely to erupt in the near future. “The one [eruption] what people get excited about and get excited about is the chance of a colossal eruption – what we might call a super eruption – but that’s a very rare event. The odds of this are extremely low, probably less than one in a million per year, ”he told the Daily Express.
Oppenheimer noted that people should be more concerned about other things that volcanoes can cause. Magma below Earth’s surface produces heat and volcanic gases that power the park’s famous hot springs and geysers. The expert is of the opinion that the chance of steam explosions is greater.
“We all know the famous geysers there and now and then when that water flashes to steam more powerfully, it can blow out rocks and cut a crater tens or hundreds of feet.”
Steamboat Geyser is located in the Back Basin of the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is located in one of the most seismically active areas in the United States, where approximately 700 to 3,000 earthquakes occur every year. However, most are not felt. The US Geological Survey has been monitoring the park’s super volcano since 2001. Experts say a “super eruption” will be preceded by earthquakes, ground rise and unusual volcanic activity. However, Oppenheimer says there isn’t enough data to predict exactly when it will happen.
How dangerous is Yellowstone Caldera?
Throughout its history, it has had three major eruptions – the last one was about 640,000 years ago. Each time the volcano changed the landscape around it.
Dr. Jerzy Zaba, a geologist from the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, said if a “super eruption” occurs, it will destroy most of the United States. There is no way to prevent it, the expert said, noting that the only way to save animals and people is to evacuate them. Despite frequent seismic activity, scientists say the supervolcano is unlikely to “speak” again in the near future.