Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Just In: Yellowstone's Ancient Supervolcano 'Lukewarm'
Science Daily ^ | August 28th, 2008

Posted on 08/28/2008 12:00:49 PM PDT by Raineygoodyear

The geysers of Yellowstone National Park owe their existence to the "Yellowstone hotspot"--a region of molten rock buried deep beneath Yellowstone, geologists have found... But how hot is this "hotspot," and what's causing it?

In an effort to find out, Derek Schutt of Colorado State University and Ken Dueker of the University of Wyoming took the hotspot's temperature They found that the hotspot is "only" 50 to 200 degrees Celsius hotter than its surroundings.

"Although Yellowstone sits above a plume of hot material coming up from deep with the Earth, it's a remarkably 'lukewarm' plume," said Schutt, comparing Yellowstone to other plumes.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: environment; geology; yellowstone
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

1 posted on 08/28/2008 12:00:49 PM PDT by Raineygoodyear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Raineygoodyear
I say that this is clear proof that the earth itself is cooling, and man is needed to cause global warming. To insure that we don't all freeze to death this winter. Grab the aerosol cans, light up the grill, we've got a planet to save.
2 posted on 08/28/2008 12:03:55 PM PDT by mainerforglobalwarming
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Raineygoodyear

Not much one can do about a super-volcano, other than be on another continent.


3 posted on 08/28/2008 12:05:34 PM PDT by skr (I serve a risen Savior!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Raineygoodyear

Good news for humans, bad news for Science Channel doomsday producers.


4 posted on 08/28/2008 12:07:48 PM PDT by DManA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Raineygoodyear

You how they always say “It’s always darkest before the dawn.”? Well, maybe it’s always lukewarmest before the eruption!
I hope I have my super volcano insurance paid up...
susie


5 posted on 08/28/2008 12:09:00 PM PDT by brytlea (Obama--Jimmy Carter's Second Term)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Raineygoodyear

connected to al gore’s mouth


6 posted on 08/28/2008 12:14:57 PM PDT by machogirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Raineygoodyear
I'd like to think Yellowstone has become disconnected from its magma chamber, since the last map I looked at predicted I'd have a 50-50 chance if the caldera blew. :-))
7 posted on 08/28/2008 12:16:23 PM PDT by colorado tanker (Number nine, number nine, number nine . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: brytlea
I hope I have my super volcano insurance paid up...

Unless you're on the other side of the planet when it goes off, you may not be around to collect it!

8 posted on 08/28/2008 12:16:33 PM PDT by rosenfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: rosenfan

Do you suppose that’s why it was so cheap? ;)
susie


9 posted on 08/28/2008 12:21:35 PM PDT by brytlea (Obama--Jimmy Carter's Second Term)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: rosenfan; brytlea
I hope I have my super volcano insurance paid up...

Unless you're on the other side of the planet when it goes off, you may not be around to collect it!

Actually only about 5000 or so people will get to collect as they will be literally the only survivors if another supervolcano goes off.

Tomu went of 75,000 years ago (approx). Worldwide human population after that was around 5000.

10 posted on 08/28/2008 12:22:14 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (Define yourself by what you do, not by your ideology, belief, origins, genitals, etc ....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000

Well, then, I suppose I can have a lot bigger yard then! Of course, the internet will probably be kaput....
susie


11 posted on 08/28/2008 12:26:12 PM PDT by brytlea (Obama--Jimmy Carter's Second Term)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: brytlea

Back when they were worried about it, in the “We’re all gonna die” scenario, I didn’t worry too much.

Now that they say it’s only lukewarm, I’m starting to be concerned.

Can you tell I don’t trust mainstream pop science very much?


12 posted on 08/28/2008 12:26:38 PM PDT by Judith Anne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: skr

Better make that another planet. The last time a super volcano blew, mankind came close to extinction. Supposedly only thousands survived. The long term winter that would set in would stop agriculture production far longer than food stockpiles.

It’s one of the kiss your you know what good by scenarios.


13 posted on 08/28/2008 12:27:46 PM PDT by meatloaf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Judith Anne

LOL yes, and I’m with you.
;)
susie


14 posted on 08/28/2008 12:29:33 PM PDT by brytlea (Obama--Jimmy Carter's Second Term)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000
Actually only about 5000 or so people will get to collect as they will be literally the only survivors if another supervolcano goes off.

Tomu went of 75,000 years ago (approx). Worldwide human population after that was around 5000.

Well, there were probably about 100,000 (give or take) humans before Toba went off...so it only wiped out about 95% of humanity. Given the same reduction in today's population, there'd still be 300 million people.

Still not very good odds.

15 posted on 08/28/2008 12:31:15 PM PDT by rosenfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: rosenfan

At the time of Tuma people were not as dependent upon having food, etc. brought to them to suvive, they fed themselves. The actual survival number today would be more like 1% or less due to the competition for available leftover provisions and lack of skill in foraging in the wild. If 50,000 survive I would be surprised, and most of that number would be in the most primitive areas. Major cities would devolve to wastelands.


16 posted on 08/28/2008 12:36:03 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Believing they cannot be deceived, they cannot be convinced when they are deceived.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

Make that Tuma ...


17 posted on 08/28/2008 12:37:02 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Believing they cannot be deceived, they cannot be convinced when they are deceived.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: rosenfan

.....Worldwide human population after that was around 5000.....

This number was determined by a computer model as was the global warming determination. There is absolutely no way to support the number of 5,000 other than a wild ass guess.


18 posted on 08/28/2008 12:43:02 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . Conservation? Let the NE Yankees freeze.... in the dark)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
Fair point. There's a novel by S. M. Stirling called "Dies the Fire" in which electricity, gunpowder, and most forms of high energy-density technology (steam, nuclear) stop working. Instantly.

One year later, over 99% of humanity has died. In the United States, it's more like 99.9%.

(the electricity bit is selective...lightning still occurs, and the neurons in our nervous systems still work)

19 posted on 08/28/2008 1:19:10 PM PDT by rosenfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: skr

Here in Wyoming we have Bentonite (kitty-litter) deposits up to 300ft thick, thanks to the last time Yellowstone had a hiccup.

Nice to have a volcano next door that is so large they could never find the caldera (sp?). Why? They were looking for something maybe 1 mile in diameter, no 20-30 miles in diameter.

If it ever did blow? Good-bye!


20 posted on 08/28/2008 1:33:36 PM PDT by Illuminatas (Being conservative means never having to say; "Don't you dare question my patriotism")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson