There are many volcanoes on our planet and when they erupt, those who are in the immediate vicinity will suffer. But this does not apply to supervolcanoes. If they begin to awaken, not only the districts will suffer, but our entire planet. According to scientists, there are about 20 supervolcanoes on Earth that can destroy all life in an instant. One of them is located in Wyoming (USA). And it is he who wants to "calm" NASA … by drilling a hole in it.
A very interesting idea is reported by Business Insider, but first, let's figure out what NASA is afraid of. The fact is that a supervolcano is a volcano, the eruption of which can provoke climate change on the planet, which will lead to the death of most living organisms. According to experts, due to the eruption, a sharp cooling of the lower atmosphere will occur, which, together with a huge cloud of ash, can cause a volcanic winter. At the same time, according to UN estimates, in the event of an unforeseen situation, food supplies for the entire Earth will be enough for humanity for only 74 days. Further consequences are not difficult to imagine.
Located on the territory of Yellowstone, the volcano has a huge "pool" of magma, which heats up local geysers. Some evidence suggests that the volcano is ready to erupt. Therefore, a project was developed to prevent it. Representatives of the aerospace agency suggest drilling holes 10 kilometers deep on the sides of the supervolcano's magma reservoir. This will slowly lower the temperature day by day. Moreover, it is important to drill precisely on the sides, and not in the center, as this will cause a sharp temperature drop and only speed up the reaction.
In this case, the waste heat can be used profitably. For example, for the construction of a geothermal plant that will produce electricity at a very low cost. However, there is also a fly in the ointment in this project - its cost. According to initial estimates, the project will cost US $ 3.46 billion.
Vladimir Kuznetsov