Stephanie Osborn Ù 0 review
Yellowstone. National park, geysers and hot springs, vacation hotspot. There’s been a lot of talk about Yellowstone’s “supervolcano” and its potentially catastrophic eruption.
“Supervolcano” however, is a misnomer — that’s not a geological term, just a colloquial expression. The term is supereruption, a titanic volcanic event capable of affecting most of the planet. Yellowstone has experienced three supereruptions at its current location. What makes it unique is that there are three calderas, layered atop each other, just inside the boundaries of the national park.
So what really is the story of the Yellowstone caldera? What is it, and how — and why — did it form? Could it erupt again in the future? Would it be bad? And are there other “supervolcanoes” like it? Kiss Your Ash Goodbye: The Yellowstone Supervolcano
A quick read and a good primer on super-volcanoes, focusing on Yellowstone. It doesn't feel dumbed down though it is written to be accessible to the non-specialist. Osborn corrects some common misconceptions and gives specific numbers about the history of eruptions (volume, type, frequency, extent, and composition). I gained new knowledge from this little book about the structure of the Yellowstone super-volcano -- specifically about the size and extent of the hotspot, plume, and magma chambers (that's right, plural). The numerous illustrations and tables are useful.
The slightly snarky title notwithstanding, KYAG is a pretty good introductory science book. Science Fiction, Mystery, Science
