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Yellowstone Supervolcano has the Potential to Erupt with a Force About 2,000 Times the Size of Mount St. Helens
The hot molten rock beneath Yellowstone National Park is 2 ½ times larger than previously estimated, meaning the park’s supervolcano has the potential to erupt with a force about 2,000 times the size of Mount St. Helens, according to a new study.
By measuring seismic waves from earthquakes, scientists were able to map the magma chamber underneath the Yellowstone caldera as 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) long, lead author Jamie Farrell of the University of Utah said Monday.
The chamber is 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide and runs at depths from 3 to 9 miles (5 to 14 1/2 kilometers) below the earth, he added.
Grand canyon located in the Yellowstone National Park. Credit: Wikipedia.
PHYS.ORG
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-12-yellowstone-magma-bigger-thought.html
