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is long valley a supervolcano

by Madelynn Mertz Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Long Valley Caldera
Long Valley Caldera
Long Valley Caldera is a depression in eastern California that is adjacent to Mammoth Mountain. The valley is one of the Earth's largest calderas, measuring about 20 mi (32 km) long (east-west), 11 mi (18 km) wide (north-south), and up to 3,000 ft (910 m) deep.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Long_Valley_Caldera
in east California is 32 kilometres across and almost a kilometre deep. It marks the spot where, 760,000 years ago, a supervolcano spewed out over 1400 cubic kilometres of material in just six days.
Aug 9, 2018

What are the names of all the super volcanoes?

Supervolcanoes in the United States

  • Geothermal Activity in Yellowstone. Shallow magma pockets are responsible for the geothermal activity seen in the park today.
  • Supervolcanoes in the United States
  • Phlegraean Fields Volcano. Solfatara Volcano in Italy.
  • Activity in the Phlegraean Fields. A supervolcano exists in Naples, Italy. ...
  • Supervolcano in Italy
  • Asian Supervolcanoes. ...

What are some examples of supervolcanoes?

What are some examples of supervolcanoes? 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. Other 'supervolcanoes' would likely include the large ...

How many super volcanoes are there in the world?

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. There are six supervolcanoes which are currently known by most people. During the past 10,000 years there are about 1,500 volcanoes that have been active.

Where are super volcanoes located?

Top 10 Super Volcanoes That Can Destroy The World As We Know It

  1. Yellowstone (U.S.)
  2. Mount Vesuvius (Italy)
  3. Popocatepetl (Mexico)
  4. Sukurajima (Japan)
  5. Galeras (Colombia)
  6. Mount Marapi (Indonesia)
  7. Mount Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of Kongo)
  8. Ulawun (Papua New Guinea)
  9. Taal (Phillipines)
  10. Mauna Loa (Hawaii)

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What type of volcano is Long Valley?

calderasThe valley is one of the Earth's largest calderas, measuring about 20 mi (32 km) long (east-west), 11 mi (18 km) wide (north-south), and up to 3,000 ft (910 m) deep....Long Valley CalderaTypeCalderaAge760,000 yrsGeographyLocationMono County, California United States7 more rows

Will the Long Valley Caldera erupt?

The area of eastern California that includes the Long Valley Caldera and the Mono-Inyo Craters volcanic chain has a long history of geologic activity that includes both earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This activity is likely to continue long into the future.

Is Long Valley supervolcano eruption?

The Long Valley Caldera is the depression formed from the supervolcano eruption 760,000 years ago, which ejected hot ash, lava and toxic gas. The eruption 760,000 years ago erupted 140 cubic miles of material from the supervolcano.

What are the 3 Supervolcanoes 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.

Is there a supervolcano in California?

Considered one of the most dangerous supervolcanos, the Long Valley Caldera is surrounded by surfacing news of eruptions across California.

How many Super volcanoes are in California?

At least seven California volcanoes—Medicine Lake Volcano, Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic Center, Clear Lake Volcanic Field, Long Valley Volcanic Region, Coso Volcanic Field, and Salton Buttes - have partially molten rock (magma) deep within their roots, and research on past eruptions indicates they will erupt again in ...

Is Yellowstone volcano overdue?

Yellowstone is not overdue for an eruption. Volcanoes do not work in predictable ways and their eruptions do not follow predictable schedules. Even so, the math doesn't work out for the volcano to be “overdue” for an eruption.

How likely is a supervolcano eruption?

Given Yellowstone's past history, the yearly probability of another caldera-forming eruption can be approximated as 1 in 730,000 or 0.00014%.

How many Super volcanoes are in the world?

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.

What is the most active supervolcano?

Rising gradually to more than 4 km (2.5 mi) above sea level, Hawaii's Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on our planet. Its submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 km (3 mi), and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 km (5 mi).

What is the largest supervolcano on Earth?

Yellowstone CalderaTopo mapUSGS Yellowstone National ParkGeologyAge of rock2,100,000–70,000 yearsMountain typeCaldera and supervolcano11 more rows

How much of the US would be destroyed if Yellowstone erupts?

RealLifeLore goes on to say that lava from the volcano would destroy just about everything within a 40-mile radius of the blast. Major US cities like Denver, Salt Lake City, and Boise would also possibly destroyed upon eruption.

When did Long Valley Caldera last erupt?

about 760,000 years agoDuring a gigantic eruption about 760,000 years ago, an area bordered by what is now Mammoth Mountain, the Glass Mountains and Crowley Lake (approximately 12 miles wide by 18 miles long), collapsed to form the Long Valley Caldera.

Is the Long Valley Caldera active?

Long Valley Caldera and the Mono-Inyo Craters chain form a large volcanic complex in eastern California that has had persistent earthquake activity and ground uplift in recent decades. Volcanoes have been active in the area for millions of years, and future eruptions are certain to occur.

Will a volcano erupt in California?

Volcanoes: More than 500 volcanic vents have been identified in the State of California. At least 76 of these vents have erupted, some repeatedly, during the last 10,000 years. Sooner or later, volcanoes in California will erupt again, and they could have serious impacts on your health and safety.

How likely is a supervolcano eruption?

Given Yellowstone's past history, the yearly probability of another caldera-forming eruption can be approximated as 1 in 730,000 or 0.00014%.

When did the Long Valley Caldera eruption occur?

Volcanic activity became concentrated in the vicinity of the present site of Long Valley Caldera 3.1 to 2.5 million years ago with eruptions of rhyodacite followed by high-silica rhyolite from 2.1 to 0.8 million years ago. After some time, a cluster of mostly rhyolitic volcanoes formed in the area. All told, about 1,500 sq mi (3,900 km 2) were covered by lava.

How long is Long Valley?

The valley is one of the Earth's largest calderas, measuring about 20 mi (32 km) long (east-west), 11 mi (18 km) wide (north-south), and up to 3,000 ft (910 m) deep. Long Valley was formed 760,000 years ago when a very large eruption released hot ash that later cooled to form the Bishop tuff that is common to the area.

What is the caldera in Long Valley?

The Long Valley Caldera hosts an active hydrothermal system that includes hot springs, fumaroles (steam vents), and mineral deposits . Hot springs exist primarily in the eastern half of the caldera where land-surface elevations are relatively low; fumaroles exist primarily in the western half where elevations are higher. Mineral deposits from thermal activity are found on an uplifted area called the resurgent dome, at Little Hot Creek springs, Hot Creek Gorge, and other locations in the south and east moats of the caldera.

How tall is Mammoth Mountain?

These domes formed in a long series of eruptions from 110,000 to 57,000 years ago, building a volcano that reaches 11,059 ft (3,371 m) in elevation.

What is the largest tourist attraction in the caldera?

For the history and ecology of the caldera, see Owens Valley. Hilltop Hot Spring. The largest tourist attraction in the caldera is the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area: the area offers skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain biking in the summer.

When did Mono Inyo craters erupt?

The Mono-Inyo Craters erupted from 40,000 to 600 years ago , from a magma source separate from the Long Valley Caldera. The caldera has an extensive hydrothermal system. Casa Diablo Hot Springs at the base of the resurgent dome hosts a geothermal power plant.

How wide is the caldera?

Geography. See also: Volcanic crater. The caldera is a giant bowl-shaped depression, approximately 20 mi (32 km) wide, surrounded by mountains except to the southeast. The elevation of the bottom of the bowl ranges from 6,500 to 8,500 ft (2,000 to 2,600 m), being higher in the west.

How much magma is in the Long Valley Caldera?

The study by a cadre of USGS experts at the California Volcano Observatory in Menlo Park reports that "three-dimensional full-waveform tomography"--er, reading sound waves bouncing around deep in the earth--revealed a reservoir under the Long Valley Caldera of more than 240 cubic miles of magma with 27 percent of it hot enough and the right composition to be liquid.

Where is the Long Valley earthquake?

Map of the Long Valley area. A large earthquake fault on the north side of Mammoth Mountain, outside of Mammoth Lakes, CA, June 24, 2000 is a glaring example of seismic activity in the Long Valley Caldera.

What would happen if the Yellowstone eruption blasted out of the ground?

If it all blasted out of the ground, that would make Long Valley - located south of Mono Lake near the Nevada border - as cataclysmic as the Yellowstone supervolcano's last supereruption 640,000 years ago that formed its current 35-by-50 mile caldera. A caldera is the depression left after an eruption so large the ground surface collapses over a wide area.

What is the caldera of Mono Lake?

Under the Long Valley Caldera is a reservoir of more than 240 cubic miles of magma with 27 percent of it hot enough and the right composition to be liquid. The caldera is outlined in thick black in this tomography map. Mono Lake is outlined with thin black line.

How high can a supervolcano erupt?

Illustration of a supervolcano eruption seen from an altitude of around 40 km. These eruptions form ash clouds that can reach tens of kilometres into the sky. Eventually the ash cloud collapses, sending avalanches of dust, ash and incandescent rock away from the eruption site at high speeds, hugging the ground in a pyroclastic flow.

How many supervolcanoes are there in the US?

It's ash plumes went much farther. (As you can see in a graphic in the gallery above.) Bigger picture and cautions. 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 happens when lava enters a body of water?

Basically, the USGS says, when lava enters a body of water or water enters a lava tube, “the water may boil violently and cause an explosive shower of molten spatter over a wide area.”. And that’s just not good. USGS Show More Show Less. 38 of 56.

Where is Long Valley Caldera?

Long Valley Caldera is situated in Eastern California. It has taken an area of 32 kilometres long and 18 kilometres width. For the last two million years, the activity of the super volcano has drastically decreased. The last eruption was 76 000 years ago. However, for last years the earthquake activity of this region has increased.

What was the main find in the picturesque valley?

Also, the researcher found sites of primitive men. The main find was pikes and tips of spears made from the pitch-stone.

Where is the Long Valley supervolcano?

Location of Long Valley supervolcano overlain on a geologic map of California. One of the largest supervolcanoes in the world sits underneath California, lying dormant for the past 100,000 years. Now, researchers have gotten a clearer glimpse into what lies below the Long Valley supervolcano, uncovering 240 cubic miles of magma sitting beneath ...

How much magma was found in the Long Valley supervolcano?

The team found 240 cubic miles of semi-molten magma, with 27 percent in the liquid state.

How does a caldera form?

A caldera is basically a depression formed after the eruption of magma to the surface. As magma fills up the magma chamber below a volcano it expands the crust and the volcano grows. After an eruption, there is a tremendous amount of volume that has suddenly been displaced, which causes the ground above to sink into a bowl-shaped depression, which we call a caldera.

How big is the Long Valley Caldera?

The Long Valley Caldera sits in eastern California adjacent to Mammoth Mountain and measures 20 miles long by 11 miles wide. A caldera is basically a depression formed after the eruption of magma to the surface. As magma fills up the magma chamber below a volcano it expands the crust and the volcano grows.

What happens to the ground after a volcano eruption?

After an eruption, there is a tremendous amount of volume that has suddenly been displaced, which causes the ground above to sink into a bowl-shaped depression, which we call a caldera.

When did the Long Valley caldera start growing?

Scientists began noting that the Long Valley caldera began growing around 1978 and has been doing so ever since. This gradual growing likely represents the influx of magma into the magma chamber below the supervolcano, essentially filling the tank in preparation for the next eruption.

Is there magma beneath Long Valley?

While the supervolcano has been studied for decades, it has been difficult to determine the amount of magma that lies beneath Long Valley. A recent study, published in the journal Geology, lays out new data in our understanding of the magma reservoir. Shear-wave velocity model showing the location of the Long Valley supervolcano.

How much lava did the Long Valley volcano disgorge?

When the dust settled, six days later, the Long Valley supervolcano had disgorged about 1,400 times the volume of lava, gas and ash as the famous 1980 supereruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington.

Does the new findings solve the mystery of what's causing the recent uplift?

While the new findings don't solve the mystery of what's causing the recent uplift, they do provide a more detailed picture than ever of Long Valley's magma system, Flinders said.

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Overview

Long Valley Caldera is a depression in eastern California that is adjacent to Mammoth Mountain. The valley is one of the Earth's largest calderas, measuring about 20 mi (32 km) long (east-west), 11 mi (18 km) wide (north-south), and up to 3,000 ft (910 m) deep.
Long Valley was formed 760,000 years ago when a very large eruption release…

Geography

The caldera is a giant bowl-shaped depression, approximately 20 mi (32 km) wide, surrounded by mountains except to the southeast. The elevation of the bottom of the bowl ranges from 6,500 to 8,500 ft (2,000 to 2,600 m), being higher in the west.
Near the center of the bowl, there is a resurgent dome formed by magmatic uplift. The southeastern slope from the caldera down towards Bishop, California, is filled with the Bishop Tuff, solidified a…

Geology

The tectonic causes of the Long Valley volcanism are still largely unexplained and are therefore a matter of much ongoing research. Long Valley is not above a hotspot, such as those which fuel the Yellowstone Caldera or the volcanoes of Hawaii; nor is it the result of subduction such as that which produces the volcanism of the Cascades.

Tourism and hiking

The largest tourist attraction in the caldera is the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area: the area offers skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain biking in the summer. The Hot Creek tourist attraction was closed to swimming in 2006 due to increased geothermal activity.
Hiking and off-road vehicle driving is available throughout the caldera, and in th…

Fatalities

In April 2006, three members of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area ski patrol died while on duty. All three died from suffocation by carbon dioxide when they fell into a fumarole on the slopes of the mountain while attempting to fence it off.

See also

• List of large volume volcanic eruptions in the Basin and Range Province
• Glass Mountain
• Map of Long Valley-Mono area
• Mono–Inyo Craters

Further reading

• Alt, David; Donald Hyndman (2000). Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-87842-409-2.
• Harris, Stephen L. (2005). Fire Mountains of the West (3rd ed.). Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-87842-511-2.

External links

• USGS website for the Long Valley Caldera
• "Long Valley". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-06-28.

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Url:https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/long-valley-caldera

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