Yellowstone Caldera Eruption Effects

A super-eruption is when the volcano releases so much magma that it reaches a size 8 on the VEI 'Volcanic Explosivity Index'. To understand the full definition of a "super-eruption" you must look at all the possible occurrences a super-eruption may have, or else you could make wrong assumptions of what exactly is a super-eruption.

In this edition we'll be looking at all signs of super-eruptions, were they're likely to happen, what causes a eruption to be "super" and what are the effects (primary & secondary) after the eruption happens.

A super-eruption has never been seen in these past 10,000 years, so scientists and volcanologists can never be too sure exactly what happened, even with a large amount of evidence from fossils, movements in the ground and patterns of land, animals, habitats.

Super-eruptions cannot be created from an ordinary volcano; as the magma chamber will be to small to release such a huge amount of eruptable magma. 'super-volcanoes' are said to be the only volcanoes to hold magma chambers big enough, so that if the magma was eruptable, would created a volcano so big that'd create destruction, not on a small scale, but possibly worldwide.

Super-volcanoes are a different type of volcano then a normal one, they're known to be hidden, in the shape of a "cauldron" (caldera) and expansive of up to 50,000ft each way. Their magma chambers are known to be much larger than normal ones, whilst Mount St.Helens or Krakatoa have around x18-115 cubic feet of eruptable magma, the super-volcano can have as much as x125-2500 cubic feet.

What are the noticeable effects/factors of a super-eruption?

To investigate this, I'll be using the super-volcano 'Yellowstone' (USA, Wyoming) as an example; as this is the easiest one to look at for effects and it's the only one I've studied. The first thing anyone will notice before a super-eruption is even imminent is:

• Hot springs, found only at places with volcanic past/present, can be found at both super and normal volcanoes.
• Mud spots, a bubbling formation of hot sludgy-mud, created by the intense heat of the magma-chamber. They are mostly found at extremely strong volcanic sites (such as Yellowstone)

These two occurrences are at Yellowstone. differences in the structure of Yellowstone to Mt St.Helens are numbered, including the plate tectonics with Mt St.Helens being on a destructive plate boundary, but Yellowstone not sitting on any plate boundary; but on a hot-spot which is where super-volcanoes are found. They've also both been built differently, if you look at the illustrated drawing of Yellowstone at the top-picture you'll see there is no mountain peak but, on the Mt. St Helens picture you get a clear view of the huge peak.

Let me just add Super-volcanoes can be waiting for their next eruption for around 1,000,000 years, Yellowstone seems to erupt roughly every 600,000 years. Whilst a normal volcano has a period of around 5 days-50,000 years. 

With these noticeable items on super-volcanoes, you'll notice that normal volcanoes are much more easier to find, which is the case. Super-volcanoes have a good way of blending in with the environment, only being noticed by their obscure nature of boiling water.

The effects that a super-eruption is coming are quite easy to spot, if your not working in a lab without any equipment you'll notice:

• Wildlife - The birds and mammals within the area will sense the volcano before humans and scatter, it's a good way for humans to notice there is something wrong. If you see animals running in herds it usually means something bad is happening.
• Earthquakes/Tremors - The earth will start to crack as the magma tries to push out from under the crust, making it pull several inches apart. This gives room for the magma to shoot up and possibly let out spurs of hot water, that'll create steam.

Now for the part you've all been waiting for - What effects does the super-eruption have whilst erupting and what after-effects does it have?

There are a large amount of effects the super-eruption has, all are categorised into primary and secondary effects.

• Primary - effects that happen in the first few hours of the eruption
• Secondary - effects that may take weeks, months, years to see or to recover from.

Within these two categories there are more, the first being if the effect is a direct cause of the eruption or an indirect cause.

• Direct - if the super-eruption did not happen this effect wouldn't of happened
• Indirect - An effect of the super-eruption that creates a string-on effect (i.e. burning forests being direct effect, so loss of habitat being indirect). Or something that was already effecting the country becoming out-of-control due to the super-eruption (i.e. poverty)

Then, you get the last category association, what is this effecting. Social, Environmental and Economic.

• Social - To do with the people of the country (i.e. housing, food, education)
• Environmental - To do with the wildlife (Fish losing habitat due to pyroclastic flows hitting the shore)
• Economic - Large amount of destruction to government land, meaning they'll have to spend on making new housing, large rescue teams using helicopters.

Given these lists you can categorise anything, if I miss any feel free to comment with suggestions and your own effects.

Houses took down due to ash-rain in far areas - Secondary, Direct, Social & Economic

Houses took down within a close area of the eruption - Primary, Direct, Social & Economic

Habitats destroyed by pyroclastic flows - Primary, Direct, Environment

Dehydration due to polluted waters - Secondary, Indirect, All 3

Stealing - Primary & Secondary, Indirect, Social & Economic

Food drops to people stranded in ash-cloud - Secondary, Direct, Economic

Try it yourself, Thanks for reading!