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2012 pt 6. SUPER VOLCANOES

 

2012 pt 6. SUPER VOLCANOES

by Zarin

 

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Mount Etna - photo Wikipedia

There are many volcanoes on Earth and there are always several erupting at any one time. Volcanoes such as Mt. Etna (Sicily), Mt. St. Helens (US), Pinatubo (Philippines), Kilauea (Hawaii), Vesuvius (Italy), etc. are actually ordinary volcanoes which have different intensities of eruptions. There are a wide range of effects as to the types of eruptions each volcano may have. They range from a weak surge of gas, smoke and lava; to a steady flow of slow moving magma and occasionally to massive explosions equal in power to hundreds of nuclear bombs. Some of the most famous natural disasters in human history have been caused by volcanic explosions, i.e. Vesuvius at Pompeii, Thera at Santorini and Krakatoanear Java in Indonesia.

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Mount Rinjani Indonesia - photo wikipedia

 

There is, however, another type of volcano called a Super Volcano and unlike the ordinary type, these are not easily spotted. The term “Mountain” cannot be associated with them as they are many times larger and may include entire mountain ranges within their circumferences. These Super Volcanoes appear more like huge depressions or bowl-like shapes on the Earth's surface. These depressions are the remnants of volcanic calderas and these calderas can be hundreds of miles in diameter.

 

 

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Toba - photo Wikipedia

Around 70,000 years ago, a Super Volcano at the location of Lake Toba (which is inside the Toba caldera)in Indonesia, erupted and wiped out over 90% of the human population on Earth. Scientists estimate that only 3500 human beings survived this catastrophic event. It is believed that all current human beings on Earth are directly descended from those 3500 survivors. Many other life forms almost went extinct as well and the weather over the entire planet was severely affected. It took centuries for weather patterns to return to a state of normalcy (whatever “normal” actually is).

 

Scientists are discovering the possible locations of Super Volcanoes all over the World.

In North America, three Super Volcano calderas have been discovered. All three are in the United States. (Aren't we just so special?) The largest is Yellowstone National Park in the northwest corner of Wyoming bordering Montana. The caldera essentially comprises the entire park. The Yellowstone Super Volcano tends to erupt on average every 600,000 years and is now 40,000 years overdue. Scientists have noticed that certain areas of the park are rising upward while others are sinking. One of the larger lakes has literally lifted up at one end drowning the surrounding vegetation at the other end. Also, there have been heavy die outs of vegetation in some parts of the region. Some of the famous geysers have changed their periodicity. Scientists have become concerned about a recent swarm of 900 earthquakes as well. What all this means is not certain. However, this Super Volcano could be on the verge of a massive explosion that would have World-wide effects. An eruption of Yellowstone on the scale which has occurred in the past; could literally destroy the majority of the Unites States and Canada, killing millions. World-wide weather (most likely a nuclear winter) would also be severely altered with extreme starvation and many more millions of deaths. The economic consequences are beyond imagining. It could take centuries for the planet to completely recover.

And as our solar system moves closer to our Galactic center, there could be unpredictable gravitational effects on the Earth's crust that might trigger a Yellowstone eruption. Not to mention one or two of the other Super Volcanoes across the globe. We simply cannot know how 2012 will affect the Earth's surface as no civilization existed in the past (that we know of) that has left us any reliable records to inform or prepare us.

There is another large Super Volcano caldera within the United States. This one is The Long Valley of Northern California, centered on the ski resort of Mammoth. In the 1970's, intense swarms of earthquakes were detected under the Mammoth area. This swarm was similar to what has also recently occurred in Yellowstone. These earthquake swarms caused Scientists to predict an imminent eruption causing tourists to leave and avoid the area. This, in turn, caused business and real estate values to tumble, angering most of the Mammoth residents. When nothing happened, scientists became extremely cautious about making such dire predictions again. This example has been touted often in order to forestall any future impetuosity on the part of the scientific community. Which is most probably why the Yellowstone events are being approached with severe caution. This does NOT mean that the Yellowstone events are the same as The Long Valley. The Yellowstone sequence could turn out to be very different and far more deadly.

Recently, a third Super volcano was discovered in New Mexico at Valles Caldera, This is one of the smaller Super Volcanoes on record and is only a mere 12 miles in diameter. It is not believed to be currently active and last exploded about 1.5 million years ago. However, not much is understood about Valles Caldera as it was only recently discovered and investigations into it's dynamic are currently under way.

 

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Ash plume arising from Mount Cleveland on May 23, 2006, as seen from the International Space Station.

If any of the Super Volcanoes spread over the Earth were to erupt in the next year and half, civilization, as we know it, could be severely altered. If not outright destroyed. It staggers the imagination to contemplate ALLof them exploding at the same time.

 

This is not to say that any of this will happen in 2012, but some day, one of these Super Volcanoes will erupt. Of that we are certain. We just cannot predict when. And if I had to pick a likely candidate, it would be Yellowstone.

Next: The Atmosphere and Magnetosphere

 


About Zarin

zarinI am a professional psychic.  My mother and father were both gifted psychics, from whom I have inherited my various gifts and to whom I will always be grateful.

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