Luminous lava, pyroclastic flows, huge columns of ash - volcanic eruptions evoke both admiration and fear. Every day 10–20 giants erupt in different parts of our planet. Now imagine that 1,500 of these peaks explode simultaneously. That is how many active volcanoes are on the surface of the continents, plus an unknown amount is hidden under the ocean. From the point of view of science, the simultaneous eruption of all volcanoes is almost impossible, but what if it actually happens?
Even if only volcanoes on land explode, the consequences will cause a linear series of changes that will be much worse than a nuclear winter. The greatest danger in any eruption is volcanic ash and gases. The deaths of people living near volcanoes will be "dust" compared to what awaits everyone else during further climate change.
Plunging into darkness
A thick layer of volcanic ash will block out the sunlight. The entire Earth will be in darkness, which will cause disruption in the photosynthesis of plants and, accordingly, crop failure and a decrease in temperature. Ash particles will remain in the air for at least 10 years. It should be noted that not all volcanoes emit large amounts of ash. For example, the peaks in Hawaii are characterized by massive outpouring of lava. However, the list of 1,500 potentially dangerous volcanoes compiled by the US Geological Survey includes the well-known Yellowstone Caldera, which can cover the entire territory of North America with an ash layer.
Great cold snap
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Acid rain will destroy all crops. Gases that contain hydrochloric acid, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide will pollute seas and groundwater. Oxidation in water bodies will have lethal effects on corals and hard-shelled aquatic life. Along the food chain, the process will affect other marine life.
According to studies, similar phenomena have already happened in the history of our planet during the eruption of supervolcanoes. In particular, such mega-explosions are associated with the extinction of animals at the end of the Permian period (252 million years ago), in the Triassic (201 million years ago) and at the end of the Cretaceous period (65 million years ago).
As a result of volcanic explosions, large quantities of gas, ash and dust enter the stratosphere. Their particles reflect the light of the Sun from the planet's surface and can cause cooling. An example is the eruption of the Tambor volcano in 1815, which for a year led to a decrease in temperature by 1–5 ° C (according to various estimates). This time in the history of the Earth received the name "Year without summer" and became a real test for our ancestors.
the greenhouse effect
Volcanic eruptions are a source of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide) that can partially offset the global cooling from ash and stratospheric particles. But if all 1500 volcanoes explode at once, then a completely different effect can be expected. It was carbon dioxide in the Cretaceous period that destroyed most of the marine life and led to the disruption of ocean circulation. During the Late Cretaceous period, about 90 million years ago, its level in the atmosphere was 2.5 times higher than today.
Will someone survive?
Will there be something alive on the planet? Most likely, only extremophiles will survive - living creatures that can exist in extreme conditions. Such animals can live in extremely acidic environments, for example, in the hot springs of Yellowstone or in deep-sea holes, which are reliably protected from surface damage. As an option, people will survive who can escape in underground bunkers, and astronauts at the orbital station. In a word, according to scientists, after the explosion of all volcanoes, only the dead will be lucky.