Supervolcano blast would blanket U.S. in ash

Simulation of Yellowstone eruption shows extended reach of massive volcanoes

map of simulated supervolcano eruption in North America

BIG BOOM  A simulated Yellowstone eruption dusts North America coast to coast with 330 cubic kilometers of ash.

USGS, ADAPTED BY S. EGTS

A new simulation illustrates the explosiveness of the volcano that lurks beneath Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

Around 640,000 years ago, the volcano blew its top and coated North America with roughly 330 cubic kilometers of ash.