Do not be surprised, this is indeed so, and scientists are proposing to explode a nuclear charge in the caldera of the supervolcano in order to “blow off steam” and prevent a more powerful and catastrophic natural eruption for the entire planet.
Highlights
– Scientists believe that the Yellowstone supervolcano will soon “delight” the world with another eruption.
“The volcanologist said a nuclear bomb explosion could prevent a powerful eruption.”
– Starting a minor eruption can reduce magma accumulation.
– The USGS has already conducted experiments to activate the volcano by detonating a nuclear charge
The volcanologist shared his extreme plan on how to stop the violent eruption of the Yellowstone Super Volcano. His plan involves dropping a small nuclear bomb into the magma chamber of the volcano.
The Yellowstone Caldera is a massive volcano located in Yellowstone National Park. It is known that a supervolcano erupts every 600,000 – 800,000 years. Since the last major eruption occurred 630 thousand years ago, many scientists believe that the volcano is “expired” for a new powerful eruption.
Given the size of a supervolcano, a major eruption will have radical and devastating consequences. But, according to volcanologist Craig McClarren, there is a way that can prevent a powerful eruption – by minimizing its intensity.
McClarren proposes using a remotely controlled rig for drilling in Yellowstone’s magma chamber, which will cause a minor eruption and ease the pressure that builds up within the supervolcano.
If the drilling process does not cause an eruption of the volcano, then it should be provoked using a small nuclear bomb placed in the magma chamber.
“I would have a remotely controlled drilling rig drilling a magma camera,” McClarren wrote. “If this were not enough to cause an eruption, I would drop the smallest nuclear bomb in the US arsenal and detonate it”
According to the volcanologist, the explosion of a powerful bomb inside the volcano will lead to the depressurization of magma accumulating under it. Although his plan is not likely to prevent a complete eruption, he can minimize its intensity.
“The launch of a catastrophic release of volatile substances through depressurization should lead to an eruption that will be large, but still significantly smaller than what it could have exploded by itself,” he explained.
McClarren explained that his plan is based on the notion that volcanic eruptions can be accurately predicted. He structured his plan based on a hypothetical scenario that Yellowstone was supposed to explode in 10 years, giving local agencies enough time to come up with effective solutions to deal with the upcoming eruption.
Unfortunately, volcanoes are known for their unpredictable nature. Although signs of volcanic activity can be detected several weeks or months before the eruption, it is still not possible to accurately predict when the volcano will erupt.
Michael Pond, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey and senior fellow at the Yellowstone Volcanological Observatory, was critical of such a plan:
“If you find these crazy schemes somewhat unnerving, please don’t worry – such a plan has zero chance of being implemented!
You see, unlike science fiction stories in which nuclear weapons seem to be the cause and solution of many geological disasters, scientific fact tells us that you are unlikely to cause a Yellowstone cataclysm with nuclear weapons.
How do we know? This is because a similar experiment has already been tried. ”
