Yellowstone. National park, geysers and hot springs, vacation hotspot. There's been a lot of talk about Yellowstone's "supervolcano" and its potentially catastrophic eruption.
"Supervolcano" however, is a misnomer - that's not a geological term, just a colloquial expression. The term is supereruption, a titanic volcanic event capable of affecting most of the planet. Yellowstone has experienced three supereruptions at its current location. What makes it unique is that there are three calderas, layered atop each other, just inside the boundaries of the national park.
So what really is the story of the Yellowstone caldera? What is it, and how - and why - did it form? Could it erupt again in the future? Would it be bad? And are there other "supervolcanoes" like it?
"Supervolcano" however, is a misnomer - that's not a geological term, just a colloquial expression. The term is supereruption, a titanic volcanic event capable of affecting most of the planet. Yellowstone has experienced three supereruptions at its current location. What makes it unique is that there are three calderas, layered atop each other, just inside the boundaries of the national park.
So what really is the story of the Yellowstone caldera? What is it, and how - and why - did it form? Could it erupt again in the future? Would it be bad? And are there other "supervolcanoes" like it?
Used availability for Stephanie Osborn's Kiss Your Ash Goodbye: The Yellowstone Supervolcano