The season premiere of NOVA was a story on the world's deadliest volcanoes. Unknown to most people just below their feet is a hell of unimaginable pressure and heat that fuels the world's thousands of volcanoes. Scientists around the world study these volcanoes in an attempt to better predict the size, scope, and time of future eruptions. Better predictions helps protect life and property.
However, some volcanoes like the one under Yellowstone would unleash staggering damage upon the world's civilization and changes to the earth's climate that no amount of predictive precision would help prevent. At best, any Yellowstone eruption would require society to make significant adaptions and change, possibly throwing humanity back into a stone age.
Unleashing Colter's Hell, my new novel, is about a terrorist attempt to trigger a Yellowstone eruption and unleashing the devastating damage upon the United States. A single park ranger and a rookie FBI agent are all that stand in the way of Armageddon.
Do you live near a volcano? What preparations for an eruptions have you made?
It is NOT true that there is a layer of molten rock near the surface everywhere on the planet. With a few exceptions like Yellowstone and Mauna Loa, it is solid rock below your feet for 2900 km to the core-mantle boundary. The rock is solid enough to transmit shear waves all the way to the CMB. The core is liquid metal but it has been known to erupt.
ReplyDeleteHey Joe. Thanks for the information. Made the change!
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