Is Yellowstone's Eruption Threat Real?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the potential threats posed by Yellowstone's volcanic activity, particularly the possibility of a supervolcanic eruption. Participants explore various aspects of this topic, including smaller-scale hazards, historical context, and personal perceptions of risk associated with such geological events.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Historical

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern about smaller threats from Yellowstone, such as hydrothermal blasts and toxic gas emissions, citing incidents involving wildlife as evidence of these dangers.
  • Others highlight the dramatic portrayal of Yellowstone in media, contrasting it with expert assessments that suggest less catastrophic outcomes are possible.
  • There are discussions about the implications of a supervolcanic eruption, with some participants suggesting it could lead to the end of civilization, while others speculate on the resilience of different populations.
  • Historical references are made to past volcanic eruptions, such as Toba, and their potential impact on human populations, with some participants noting genetic bottlenecks linked to such events.
  • Some participants share personal experiences with natural disasters, indicating a focus on more immediate threats in their own regions compared to the distant possibility of a mega eruption.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the likelihood or severity of a Yellowstone eruption. Multiple competing views exist regarding the potential impacts and the nature of threats posed by the volcano.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various sources and personal anecdotes, indicating a mix of scientific information and subjective interpretations of risk. The discussion reflects a range of assumptions about geological hazards and their implications for society.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those concerned with geological hazards, environmental science, and the societal impacts of natural disasters.

zoobyshoe
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"Smith does not paint the devastating picture portrayed in a recent TV docudrama but said smaller threats exist. For example, a lower-scale hydrothermal blast could scald tourists strolling along boardwalks.
Emissions of toxic gases from the park's geothermal features also pose a threat. Five bison dropped dead last year after inhaling poisonous gases trapped near the ground due to cold, calm weather near Norris Geyser Basin.
Stepped up monitoring and a new 24-hour watch office could lead to more timely warnings and help avoid human catastrophes at Yellowstone and nationally, according to the USGS."

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7789918/

I saw some of the "docudrama" as well as a NGC pure documentary on this subject, which was very scary. It's not just a volcano, but a "supervolcano".
 
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zoobyshoe said:
"Smith does not paint the devastating picture portrayed in a recent TV docudrama but said smaller threats exist. For example, a lower-scale hydrothermal blast could scald tourists strolling along boardwalks.
Emissions of toxic gases from the park's geothermal features also pose a threat. Five bison dropped dead last year after inhaling poisonous gases trapped near the ground due to cold, calm weather near Norris Geyser Basin.
Stepped up monitoring and a new 24-hour watch office could lead to more timely warnings and help avoid human catastrophes at Yellowstone and nationally, according to the USGS."

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7789918/

I saw some of the "docudrama" as well as a NGC pure documentary on this subject, which was very scary. It's not just a volcano, but a "supervolcano".
Yeah, supervolcano's etuptions can be like a hundred miles wide. They really think it'll erupt? I knew we were over due.
 
The New Yellowstone Hiking Suit

troy-bear.gif

http://www.improb.com/news/2001/nov/troy-bear2.html
 
so..if yellostone blows up we are screwed big time right ?
 
stoned said:
so..if yellostone blows up we are screwed big time right ?
The end of civilization as we know it.
 
actually i would not mind it, because USA going to go first and maybe rest of the world would somehow cope better with this blow up..
you know, people who are less dependent on electricity, and all basic servicess.
 
Yeah I wouoldn't mind no running water for a few decades.
 
Mk said:
Yeah I wouoldn't mind no running water for a few decades.

You're on that part of guam, eh?
 
  • #10
zoobyshoe said:
"Smith does not paint the devastating picture portrayed in a recent TV docudrama but said smaller threats exist. For example, a lower-scale hydrothermal blast could scald tourists strolling along boardwalks.
Emissions of toxic gases from the park's geothermal features also pose a threat. Five bison dropped dead last year after inhaling poisonous gases trapped near the ground due to cold, calm weather near Norris Geyser Basin.
Stepped up monitoring and a new 24-hour watch office could lead to more timely warnings and help avoid human catastrophes at Yellowstone and nationally, according to the USGS."

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7789918/

I saw some of the "docudrama" as well as a NGC pure documentary on this subject, which was very scary. It's not just a volcano, but a "supervolcano".
Thanks for posting this--I saw the same article, and in view of the documentary, which I also saw, I was going to post likewise. :biggrin:
 
  • #11
actually i would not mind it, because USA going to go first and maybe rest of the world would somehow cope better with this blow up..
you know, people who are less dependent on electricity, and all basic servicess.

Jealous, eh?
 
  • #12
SOS2008 said:
Thanks for posting this--I saw the same article, and in view of the documentary, which I also saw, I was going to post likewise. :biggrin:
Yes, it is capable of ending civilization as we know it, but also capable of many less severe kinds of eruption.

The programs took me by surprise: I had no idea volcanic eruptions of the scale they talked about had ever happened. It ranks right up there with getting hit by a big asteroid, or global thermonuclear holocaust.

Mt. Ranier, as the article mentioned, is another looming threat. In Italy a huge population has grown up around Mt. Vesuvius which could blow again at any time.

In 1980 when Mt. St. Helen's blew, I was about twenty five and had grown up assuming all North American volcanos were extinct. I thought, "Huh? We have those here?" I think pretty much everyone in the country outside of geologists had no clue.
 
  • #13
zoobyshoe said:
The programs took me by surprise: I had no idea volcanic eruptions of the scale they talked about had ever happened. It ranks right up there with getting hit by a big asteroid, or global thermonuclear holocaust.

If it interests you, I recommend you look into the Toba supervolcano, being the last one to erupt. It is suggested to have caused a severe bottleneck in the early human population.
I used to have a link to a good page on it, but I can't seem to find it anymore.
 
  • #14
Hurkyl said:
Jealous, eh?
I hate all bastards with air conditioning and running water. :biggrin:
 
  • #15
I think we are more in tune to the possible natural disasters that are closest to where we live.
Odds are a mega eruption will not occur in my life time.
I have much greater odds of being in a Tornado, so I tend to worry about them, hence learn more about them.
 
  • #16
I lived in Ohio and Minnesota for a while where I was constantly dodging tornados, so I know what that's like. Here, I had to forget tornados and get used to the earthquakes and wildfires.
 
  • #17
Incidently, Geneticists have noted that there seems to be a genetic bottleneck tracing populations back 75,000 years or so, to a point where there seem to have ebee only 5,000 people or so left alive. That is roughly the same time period as the last super volcanic eruption.
 
  • #18
That would be the toba eruption I mentioned.
 
  • #19
matthyaouw said:
That would be the toba eruption I mentioned.
Don't worry, I noticed who was first.
 
  • #20
matthyaouw said:
That would be the toba eruption I mentioned.

Indeed you did. See, this is why i need to not be lazy and read whole threads before posting. Sorry bout that.
 
  • #21
sorry, wasn't in the best of moods yesterday.
 

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