The Yellowstone Caldera was made by two mega eruptions, not one
- 7 years ago
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Two super eruptions made the iconic Yellowstone Caldera what it is today not one, according to new research.
Scientists analysed samples of shell sediment and volcanic ash from the Santa Barbara Basin. From these they were able to determine that the Yellowstone Caldera was formed by two volcanic eruptions 170 years apart.
Each eruption was so powerful that it lowered the temperature of the planet and altered the climate, New Atlas reported. These two volcanic winters reportedly took place just as Earth was recovering from an ice age hundreds of thousands of years ago.
The findings were presented last week the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America.
Scientists analysed samples of shell sediment and volcanic ash from the Santa Barbara Basin. From these they were able to determine that the Yellowstone Caldera was formed by two volcanic eruptions 170 years apart.
Each eruption was so powerful that it lowered the temperature of the planet and altered the climate, New Atlas reported. These two volcanic winters reportedly took place just as Earth was recovering from an ice age hundreds of thousands of years ago.
The findings were presented last week the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America.