One of the most dangerous volcanoes in California is very active. Is an eruption on the way?

One of the most dangerous volcanoes in California has been suffering for decades. Geological changes and seismic activityWhich is sometimes a harbinger of a volcanic eruption, but – fortunately – Super volcanic eruptions are not expected.

This is what researchers said in California Institute of Technology who were studying Long Valley Calderawhich includes space Mammoth Lakes In Mono County, who published A condition in Advancement of science.

The boiler was rated in 2018 by US Geological Survey (USGS) as one of the state’s three volcanoes – along with 15 volcanoes elsewhere in the United States – It is considered a “very significant threat,” the highest risk category identified by the agency.

Other dangerous volcanoes in the area

The other two volcanoes in California with this classification are: Mount Shasta in Siskiyou County and the Lassen Volcanic Center, which includes Lassen Peak(in Shasta County). The threat assessment is not a list of the volcanoes most likely to erupt or a ranking of the most active volcanoes; Instead, it is defined as The combination of the potential threat of the volcano and the number of people and property exposed to that threat.

Long Valley Caldera

Long Valley Caldera is a large land depression east of the Sierra Nevada. It is located about 65 km east of Yosemite Valley, 320 km east of San Francisco, and 400 km north of downtown Los Angeles. Calderas form when magma erupts or rises from underground.

Long Valley Caldera was formed by A A massive explosion about 760,000 years ago exploded 140 cubic kilometers of magmaIt covered much of east-central California with hot ash that reached as far as present-day Nebraska.

Scientists have long analyzed the Long Valley Caldera, where… A noticeable increase in earthquakes and ground fluctuations that began four decades ago. In particular, there were four magnitude 6 earthquakes in the Long Valley area in May 1980.

In general, changes in landforms and seismic activity are usually observed before volcanic eruptions – but These aspects do not necessarily mean that an explosion is coming soon.

“Like the Long Valley Caldera, the magma beneath the Lassen Volcanic Center shows clear signs of cooling and contraction.” – Montgomery Brown of the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.

Researchers have long thought about this The risk of a massive eruption at Long Valley Caldera in our lifetime is very lowIn general, it is clear that the magma beneath the area is cooling.

the last The large, devastating volcanic eruption in California occurred more than a century ago. Lassen Peak experienced a series of volcanic eruptions between 1914 and 1917. An explosive eruption in 1915 destroyed a forest, created a giant mushroom cloud 9,100 meters high and threw volcanic ash up to 450 kilometres.