A supervolcano is classified as a volcano with an eruption magnitude of 8, the largest value on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) where the volume of deposits for that eruption is greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers (240 cubic miles).
Supervolcanoes occur when magma in the mantle rises into the crust and is unable to break through a fissure or vent. Over time, immense pressures start to accumulate in a growing magma pool until it explodes through the crust violently.
This can occur at hotspots (for example, Yellowstone Caldera) or at subduction zones (for example, Toba). Large-volume supervolcanic eruptions are also often associated with large igneous provinces, which can cover huge areas with lava and volcanic ash. These can cause long-lasting climate change (such as the triggering of a small ice age) and threaten species with extinction.
1 – La Garita Caldera
Garita Caldera is a large supervolcanic caldera in the San Juan volcanic field in the San Juan Mountains near the town of Creede in southwestern Colorado, United States. The eruption that created the La Garita Caldera is among the largest known volcanic eruptions in Earth’s history.
The La Garita Caldera is one of a number of calderas that formed during a massive ignimbrite flare-up in Colorado, Utah and Nevada from 40–18 million years ago, and was the site of massive eruptions about 28.01±0.04 million years ago, during the Oligocene Epoch.
The scale of La Garita volcanism was the second greatest of the Cenozoic Era. The resulting ash flows the volcano created, most notably the “Fish Canyon Tuff” has a volume of approximately 1,200 cubic miles (5,000 km3), giving it a Volcanic Explosivity Index rating of 8. By comparison, the eruption of Mount St. Helens on 18 May 1980 was 0.25 cubic miles (1.0 km3) in volume.
2 – Lake Toba
Lake Toba is a large caldera remnant of a supervolcano within the Toba caldera complex of North Sumatra. The complex comprises of four overlapping volcanic craters that adjoin the Sumatran “volcanic front”. Covering an area of 100 by 30 km it is the world’s largest Quaternary caldera, and the fourth and youngest caldera.
This last major eruption occurred around 75,000±900 years ago and had an estimated VEI= 8, making it the largest-known explosive volcanic eruption within the last 25 million years.
An estimated 2,800 km3 of dense-rock equivalent pyroclastic material, known as the youngest Toba tuff, was released. Following the eruption, a resurgent dome formed within the new caldera that filled with water to create Lake Toba.
3 – Cerro Guacha
Cerro Guacha is a Miocene caldera in southwestern Bolivia’s Sur Lípez Province. Part of the volcanic system of the Andes, it is considered to be part of the Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ), one of the three volcanic arcs of the Andes, and its associated Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex (APVC).
Cerro Guacha and the other volcanoes of that region are formed from the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South America plate. Above the subduction zone, the crust is chemically modified and generates large volumes of melts that form the local caldera systems of the APVC.
Two major ignimbrites, the 5.6-5.8 mya Guacha ignimbrite with a volume of 1,300 cubic kilometres (310 cu mi) and the 3.5-3.6 mya Tara ignimbrite with a volume of 800 cubic kilometres (190 cu mi) have erupted from Cerro Guacha. More recent activity occurred 1.7 mya and formed a smaller ignimbrite with a volume of 10 cubic kilometres (2.4 cu mi).
The larger caldera has dimensions of 60 by 40 kilometres (37 mi × 25 mi) with a rim altitude of 5,250 metres (17,220 ft). Extended volcanic activity has generated two nested calderas, a number of lava domes and lava flows and a central resurgent dome.
4 – Yellowstone Caldera
The Yellowstone Caldera is a volcanic caldera and supervolcano in Yellowstone National Park in the Western United States, sometimes referred to as the Yellowstone Supervolcano. The caldera and most of the park are located in the northwest corner of Wyoming.
Volcanism at Yellowstone is relatively recent, with calderas that were created during large eruptions that lie over a hotspot under the Yellowstone Plateau.
The three super eruptions occurred 2.1 million, 1.3 million, and approximately 630,000 years ago, forming the Island Park Caldera, the Henry’s Fork Caldera, and Yellowstone calderas, respectively.
The Island Park Caldera supereruption (2.1 million years ago), which produced the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff was the largest and produced 2,500 times as much ash as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.
The next biggest supereruption formed the Yellowstone Caldera (~ 630,000 years ago) and produced the Lava Creek Tuff. The Henry’s Fork Caldera (1.2 million years ago) produced the smaller Mesa Falls Tuff, but is the only caldera from the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone hotspot that is plainly visible today.
5 – Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo located on New Zealand’s North Island is the caldera of a large rhyolitic supervolcano called the Taupo Volcano. The Taupo Volcano forms part of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, a region of volcanic activity that extends from Ruapehu in the South, through the Taupo and Rotorua regions, to White Island in the Bay of Plenty.
The most notable event was the Oruanui eruption around 26,500 years ago during the Late Pleistocene with VE=8. It is one of the largest eruptions in the history of New Zealand and generated approximately 430 km3 (100 cu mi) of pyroclastic fall deposits, 320 km3 (77 cu mi) of pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits (mostly ignimbrite) and 420 km3 (100 cu mi) of primary intracaldera material, equivalent to 530 km3 (130 cu mi) of magma, totaling 1,170 km3 (280 cu mi) of total deposits.
6 – Cerro Galán
Cerro Galán is a caldera in the Catamarca Province of Argentina. It is one of the largest exposed calderas in the world and forms part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes.
Volcanic activity at Galán is the indirect consequence of the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South America Plate.
The caldera was active between 5.6 and 4.51 million years ago with the largest eruption occurring 2.08 ± 0.02 million years ago producing 1,050km3 of deposits.
7 – Island Park Caldera
The Island Park Caldera crosses the borders of Idaho and Wyoming in the United States and is one of the world’s largest calderas, with approximate dimensions of 80 by 65 km.
The eruptions ashfall is the source of the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff that is found from southern California to the Mississippi River near St. Louis. This super-eruption of approximately 2,500 km3 (600 cu mi) occurred 2.1 Ma (million years ago) and produced 2,500 times as much ash as the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
The Island Park Caldera is sometimes referred to as the First Phase Yellowstone Caldera or the Huckleberry Ridge Caldera.
8 – Vilama
Vilama is a Miocene caldera in Bolivia and Argentina. Straddling the border between the two countries, it is part of the Central Volcanic Zone, one of the four volcanic belts in the Andes. Vilama is remote and forms part of the Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex, a province of large calderas and associated ignimbrites that were active since about 8 million years ago, sometimes in the form of supervolcanoes.
Vilama is the source of the enormous Vilama ignimbrite, which was emplaced during an eruption with a volcanic explosivity index of 8 about 8.4–8.5 million years ago. A large amount of the Vilama ignimbrite is inside the caldera depression, while the part outside of the caldera covers a surface area exceeding 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi). The total volume of the ignimbrite is about 1,200–1,800 cubic kilometres (290–430 cu mi), possibly as much as 2,100 cubic kilometres (500 cu mi). Another large ignimbrite, the Sifon ignimbrite, may also have been erupted by Vilama, while the Granada ignimbrite was later attributed to a separate volcano.
9 – La Pacana
La Pacana is a Miocene age caldera in northern Chile’s Antofagasta Region. Part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes, it is part of the Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex, a major caldera and silicic ignimbrite volcanic field. T
La Pacana along with other regional volcanoes was formed by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate in the Peru-Chile Trench. La Pacana is responsible for the eruption of the giant Atana ignimbrite, which reaches a volume of 2,451–3,500 cubic kilometres (588–840 cu mi) and constitutes the fifth-largest explosive eruption known. The Atana ignimbrite was erupted 3.8 ± 0.1 and 4.2 ± 0.1 million years ago, almost simultaneously with the much smaller (volume of 180 cubic kilometres (43 cu mi)) Toconao ignimbrite.
10 – Pastos Grandes
Pastos Grandes is the name of a nested caldera and crater lake in Bolivia which is around 35 by 40 kilometres (22 mi × 25 mi) wide and has a maximum depth of 400 metres (1,300 ft).
The caldera is part of the Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex, a large ignimbrite province that is part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes.
Pastos Grandes has erupted a number of ignimbrites through its history, some of which exceeded a volume of 1,000 cubic kilometres (240 cu mi). After the ignimbrite phase, the lava domes of the Cerro Chascon-Runtu Jarita complex were erupted close to the caldera and along faults.
FAQs
Where are the 12 super volcanoes located? ›
| Name | Zone | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Grey's Landing Supereruption | Yellowstone hotspot | United States |
| La Pacana | Andes Central Volcanic Zone | Chile |
| Huckleberry Ridge eruption | Yellowstone hotspot | Idaho, United States |
| Whakamaru Caldera | Taupō Volcanic Zone | North Island, New Zealand |
The Yellowstone supervolcano, located in northwestern Wyoming in Yellowstone National Park, is one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It's erupted multiple times over the past 2.1 million years, including three massive eruptions that smothered the surrounding landscape in ash.
What are the 3 super volcanoes in North America? ›The United States is home to three active supervolcanoes, the USGS has determined: The famous Yellowstone, Long Valley and the Valles Caldera in New Mexico.
What are the 4 super volcanoes? ›Volcanoes that have produced exceedingly voluminous pyroclastic eruptions and formed large calderas in the past 2 million years include Yellowstone in northwest Wyoming, Long Valley in eastern California, Toba in Indonesia, and Taupo in New Zealand.
How many supervolcanoes are on Earth? ›There are about 12 supervolcanoes on Earth — each one at least seven times larger than Mount Tambora, which had the biggest eruption in recorded history. If all of these supervolcanoes erupted at once, they'd likely pour thousands of tons of volcanic ash and toxic gases into the atmosphere.
How many super volcanoes are in us? ›Three of the seven supervolcanoes in the world are in the U.S.: California- Long Valley Caldera. New Mexico- Valles Caldera. Wyoming- Yellowstone.
What is the second largest supervolcano? ›- 1 – La Garita Caldera.
- 2 – Lake Toba.
- 3 – Cerro Guacha.
- 4 – Yellowstone Caldera.
- 5 – Lake Taupo.
- 6 – Cerro Galán.
- 7 – Island Park Caldera.
- 8 – Vilama.
It's called the La Garita Caldera, and it rivals the Toba eruption in Indonesia and all Yellowstone eruptions.
How many active supervolcanoes are there? ›There are more than 1,000 active volcanoes dotted around our planet, but only a select few have produced unimaginably colossal eruptions, earning themselves the title of supervolcano.
What are the top 3 super volcanoes? ›Volcanoes that have produced exceedingly voluminous pyroclastic eruptions and formed large calderas in the past 2 million years include Yellowstone in northwest Wyoming, Long Valley in eastern California, Toba in Indonesia, and Taupo in New Zealand.
Is there a supervolcano in the United States? ›
Yellowstone Caldera. A map of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, shows the outline of the caldera of the massive Yellowstone supervolcano. The Yellowstone supervolcano last erupted about 640,000 years ago. A sleeping giant is nestled in the western part of the United States.
Is Mt St Helens a supervolcano? ›Answer and Explanation: No, Mount St. Helens is not a supervolcano, which is one that has erupted with an explosivity index of at least 8 (there are no active supervolcanoes in the world). However, it is not far from the Yellowstone caldera, which is a dormant supervolcano.
What are the 10 biggest volcano? ›- Mauna Loa - United States.
- Mount Kilimanjaro - Tanzania.
- Popocatépetl - Mexico.
- Mount Fuji - Japan.
- Mount Semeru - Indonesia.
- Etna - Italy.
- Mount St. Helens - United States.
- Mayon Volcano - Philippines.
| Eruption | Year | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| Mont Pelée, Martinique | 1902 | 30,0001 (29,025)2 |
| Krakatau, Indonesia | 1883 | 36,0001 (36,417)2 |
| Tambora, Indonesia | 1815 | 92,0001,2 |
| Unzendake, Japan | 1792 | 15,0001 (14,030)2 |
The most recent supervolcanic eruption on Earth occurred 27,000 years ago at Taupo located at the center of New Zealand's north island.
Which volcano is next to erupt? ›| Volcano | Country | Eruption Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| Marapi | Indonesia | 2023 Jan 7 |
| Barren Island | India | 2022 Dec 30 |
| Lascar | Chile | 2022 Dec 10 |
| Ahyi | United States | 2022 Nov 18 ± 1 days |
Although they might occur infrequently, even on a geological timeline, supervolcanoes are by no means insignificant. Unlike isolated incidents of tragedy that affect different people groups around the world, one supervolcano could pose a threat to all life on Earth.
What happens if Yellowstone erupts? ›What would happen if a "supervolcano" eruption occurred again at Yellowstone? If another large, caldera-forming eruption were to occur at Yellowstone, its effects would be worldwide. Such a giant eruption would have regional effects such as falling ash and short-term (years to decades) changes to global climate.
Would California be affected by Yellowstone? ›The mantle rock that feeds Yellowstone supervolcano extends all the way to California and Oregon, a scientist has claimed.
Is Yellowstone a volcanic? ›Is Yellowstone a volcano? Yes. Within the past two million years, some volcanic eruptions have occurred in the Yellowstone area—three of them super eruptions.
Which state contains 75% of all volcanoes in the US? ›
"There are about 169 volcanoes in the United States that scientists consider active. Most of these are located in Alaska, where eruptions occur virtually every year.
What would happen to Utah if Yellowstone erupts? ›Volcanologists believe a Yellowstone supereruption would bury large swaths of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah in up to three feet of toxic volcanic ash. Depending on the weather patterns, much of the Midwest would receive a few inches, too, plunging the region into darkness.
What would cause Yellowstone to erupt? ›So if Yellowstone were to erupt again (which it may never do, mind you), it is possible that the eruption could be caused by a similar movement of magma from deeper in the crust to the shallowest magma chamber.
What is the youngest supervolcano? ›Earth's youngest known supereruption (the Oruanui event) at ∼25.5 ka ejected >1100 km3 of pumice and ash over the landscape and formed a collapse structure now occupied by Lake Taupō (Figure 1B; Davy and Caldwell 1998.
What is the largest volcano in the United States? ›Yellowstone is one of the world's largest active volcanic systems. Its history began 16.5 million years ago when present-day southeast Oregon sat over a hotspot—a massive plume of hot material upwelling from deep in the earth's mantle.
Is Yellowstone volcano bigger than Mount Saint Helens? ›The three caldera-forming eruptions at Yellowstone (2.1 million years ago, 1.3 million years ago, and 640,000 years ago), were respectively about 2,500, 700, and 1,000 times larger than the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington.
Was Pompeii a supervolcano? ›In fact, the city's suburbs and outlying towns are home to over half a million people, who live inside the giant collapsed crater of an ancient supervolcano. Its last major eruption killed 6,000 people in 1631.
Where would the safest place be if Yellowstone erupts? ›A: For the most likely type of volcanic eruption in Yellowstone, everywhere would be safe except in the immediate vicinity of the advancing lava flow. In the highly improbable event of a large catastrophic eruption, the great the distance from the eruptive center, the safer it would be.
Is there a super volcano in the ocean? ›Currently, the largest underwater volcano on record is the Tamu Massif. This volcano is located in the northwest of the Pacific Ocean about 1,600 km (990 miles) east of Japan. Tamu Massif covers an area of 553,000 square kilometers (214,000 square miles) and sits at around 6,500 feet (1,980 m) below the ocean.
Why are supervolcanoes so rare? ›Because the thick continental crust and heat sources needed to create such massive magma chambers are rare, supervolcanoes themselves are also uncommon.
What was the strongest eruption in history? ›
The explosion of Mount Tambora is the largest ever recorded by humans, ranking a 7 (or "super-colossal") on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, the second-highest rating in the index. The volcano, which is still active, is one of the tallest peaks in the Indonesian archipelago.
What is the biggest volcano in the world to erupt? ›Why is Mauna Loa's eruption important? Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, the date of the first recorded eruption. On average, that it is one eruption every five and a half years. However, the last eruption was almost 40 years ago.
Is there a supervolcano in Italy? ›But Campi Flegrei is the real giant, comprised of 24 craters and edifices, many of which are underwater in Pozzuoli Bay, at the northwestern end of the Gulf of Naples. Campi Flegrei is often referred to as a supervolcano.
What states would be affected if Yellowstone erupted? ›Those parts of the surrounding states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming that are closest to Yellowstone would be affected by pyroclastic flows, while other places in the United States would be impacted by falling ash (the amount of ash would decrease with distance from the eruption site).
Is Hawaii volcano a supervolcano? ›No, despite its massive size, Mauna Loa is not a supervolcano, which is defined simply as a volcano that has erupted with an Explosivity Index of at least 8. As a shield volcano, its eruptions tend to be relatively gentle and prolonged rather than explosive.
Is the volcano in Utah bigger than Yellowstone? ›Yellowstone's famous caldera, which last went off more than 640,000 years ago, can lay claim as North America's most well-known supervolcano. But it isn't the continent's largest — a more ancient one found near the small southwestern Utah town of Enterprise, was about 30 times bigger.
How deep is the magma under Yellowstone? ›How large is the magma chamber that is currently under Yellowstone? The magma chamber is believed to be about 40 by 80 kilometers across, similar in size to the overlying Yellowstone caldera. The top of the chamber is about 8 km deep and the bottom is around 16 km deep.
Can Mount Saint Helens still erupt? ›We know that Mount St. Helens is the volcano in the Cascades most likely to erupt again in our lifetimes. It is likely that the types, frequencies, and magnitudes of past activity will be repeated in the future.
Did anyone know Mt St Helens was going to erupt? ›In 1980, Mount St. Helens' continued seismicity warned scientists at monitoring stations that the volcano might erupt, but the danger zone around the mountain turned out to be much too small.
Is Mt Everest a volcano? ›(Note: Mount Everest is not a volcano.) Olympus Mons is the largest and youngest volcano on Mars. It is nearly 27 km high, and about 700 km across.
How hot is lava? ›
The temperature of the lava in the tubes is about 1,250 degrees Celsius (2,200 degrees Fahrenheit).
What lava is most explosive? ›Magmas with high silica content tend to erupt violently, because they are viscious. They form volcanoes like Krakatau and Tambora in Indonesia, and Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in Washington State.
Which volcano killed most people? ›What was the most destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the United States? The May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens (Washington) was the most destructive in the history of the United States.
What is the oldest volcano in history? ›The oldest dated volcano near the northern end of the Emperor Seamount Chain is 81 million years.
Where are the 3 super volcanoes in the US? ›The United States is home to three active supervolcanoes, the USGS has determined: The famous Yellowstone, Long Valley and the Valles Caldera in New Mexico.
What is the biggest supervolcano on earth? ›| Yellowstone Caldera | |
|---|---|
| Mountain type | Caldera and supervolcano |
| Volcanic field | Yellowstone Plateau |
| Last eruption | approximately 640,000 years ago (caldera-forming); 70,000 years ago (in the caldera) |
| Climbing | |
Indonesia has the most active volcanoes in the world. They are spread along the islands of Sumatra, Celebes, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Lesser Sunda, and Sulawesi islands.
How many super volcanoes are there and where are they located? ›There are about 20 known supervolcanoes on Earth - including Lake Toba in Indonesia, Lake Taupo in New Zealand, and the somewhat smaller Phlegraean Fields near Naples, Italy. Super-eruptions occur rarely - only once every 100,000 years on average.
What are the twelve supervolcanoes? ›- 1 – La Garita Caldera.
- 2 – Lake Toba.
- 3 – Cerro Guacha.
- 4 – Yellowstone Caldera.
- 5 – Lake Taupo.
- 6 – Cerro Galán.
- 7 – Island Park Caldera.
- 8 – Vilama.
Where is the super volcano in the United States? ›
Yellowstone Caldera, sometimes referred to as the Yellowstone megacaldera, is a volcanic caldera and megavolcano in Yellowstone National Park in the Western United States. The caldera and most of the park are located in the northwest corner of Wyoming.
What country has 20 volcanoes? ›| Country | Holocene Volcanoes | Active since 1800 CE |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Ethiopia | 53 | 10 |
| 7. Papua New Guinea | 46 | 20 |
| 8. Philippines | 38 | 15 |
| 9. Mexico | 36 | 9 |
Rangitoto: Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, is home to around 50 volcanoes.
What country has 20 active volcanoes? ›Indonesia has the highest number of active volcanoes in the world and is one of the places in the world that are located within the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Where do 90% of volcanoes exist? ›Most volcanoes are found along a belt, called the “Ring of Fire” that encircles the Pacific Ocean.
What would happen if Yellowstone supervolcano erupted? ›What would happen if a "supervolcano" eruption occurred again at Yellowstone? If another large, caldera-forming eruption were to occur at Yellowstone, its effects would be worldwide. Such a giant eruption would have regional effects such as falling ash and short-term (years to decades) changes to global climate.
Which volcano could end the world? ›Effects of a major eruption: When the Yellowstone Caldera, or "supervolcano," in Yellowstone National erupts again, it will render a huge swath of North America, from Vancouver to Oklahoma City, uninhabitable. It would have incalculable human and economic consequences.
Is Mount Saint Helens a supervolcano? ›Answer and Explanation: No, Mount St. Helens is not a supervolcano, which is one that has erupted with an explosivity index of at least 8 (there are no active supervolcanoes in the world). However, it is not far from the Yellowstone caldera, which is a dormant supervolcano.