Ancient Volcano's Devastating Effects Confirmed (Toba eruption and the following Ice Age)

LiveScience.com ^ | 12/4/09 | LiveScience Staff

[NormsRevenge]

A massive volcanic eruption that occurred in the distant past killed off much of central India's forests and may have pushed humans to the brink of extinction, according to a new study that adds evidence to a controversial topic.

The Toba eruption, which took place on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia about 73,000 years ago, released an estimated 800 cubic kilometers of ash into the atmosphere that blanketed the skies and blocked out sunlight for six years. In the aftermath, global temperatures dropped by as much as 16 degrees centigrade (28 degrees Fahrenheit) and life on Earth plunged deeper into an ice age that lasted around 1,800 years.

In 1998, Stanley Ambrose, an anthropology professor at the University of Illinois, proposed in the Journal of Human Evolution that the effects of the Toba eruption and the Ice Age that followed could explain the apparent bottleneck in human populations that geneticists believe occurred between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago. The lack of genetic diversity among humans alive today suggests that during this time period humans came very close to becoming extinct.

To test his theory, Ambrose and his research team analyzed pollen from a marine core in the Bay of Bengal that had a layer of ash from the Toba eruption. The researchers also compared carbon isotope ratios in fossil soil taken from directly above and below the Toba ash in three locations in central India — some 3,000 miles from the volcano — to pinpoint the type of vegetation that existed at various locations and time periods.

Heavily forested regions leave carbon isotope fingerprints that are distinct from those of grasses or grassy woodlands.

The tests revealed a distinct change in the type of vegetation in India immediately after the Toba eruption...

[NormsRevenge]

This satellite image shows smoldering underground fires that took place at Toba in 1997.
A devastating volcanic eruption occurred at the site roughly 73,000 years ago.
Credit: NASA

[freedumb2003]

Archeologists and anthropologists agree that women and minorities were hardest hit.

[TexasRepublic]

“released an estimated 800 cubic kilometers of ash into the atmosphere that blanketed the skies and blocked out sunlight for six years.”

Six years??? I rather doubt that.

[mgstarr]

So this was before the Flood right? :-)

[null and void]

If Laz were there he’d have hit it...

[colorado tanker]

Ping

[freedumb2003]

[Don Corleone]

If Yellowstone blows...we are all toast!

[null and void]

Just so.

[Dallas59]

RaCiST VoLcAnO!!!

[colorado tanker]

Doug Neidermeyer: And most recently of all, a "Toba Party" was held from which we have received more than two dozen reports of individual acts of perversion SO profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here.

Hey, Neidermeyer, that's a "toga" party, not a "toba" party. Sheesh.

[freedumb2003]

Your god has a much bigger fist than mine!

That is, until I stole your graphic...

[null and void]

[aruanan]

released an estimated 800 cubic kilometers of ash into the atmosphere that blanketed the skies and blocked out sunlight for six years.

Is a cubic km of ash figured as ash that has settled out of the atmosphere or atmosphere containing ash at an arbitrary percentage?

[colonialhk]

That is ash pain to the Nth
Homo Sapiens or perhaps Neanderthals must have done this... Gaia would never allow such a thing without Algore knowing via his internet.

Beware Denmark or it will all make sense to you.

[tet68]

No mention of how much CO2 was pumped out or what
effect it had?

[DTogo]

To-ba! To-ba! To-ba!

[EVO X]

The lack of genetic diversity among humans alive today suggests that during this time period humans came very close to becoming extinct.

Nova suggested it was down to 600 individuals during a program last month.

[Circle_Hook]

This article proves just how helpless man is in controlling climate.