Coast to Coast, US has Most Active Volcanoes in World! 150?

If heard correctly, that's what the guest guy on c2c said last night @ 19m in

It's like sitting on the earth's biggest time bomb, ain't it? I mean like Yellowstone. when she blows, we can go the way of the dinosaurs, no?

a reply to: Plantagenet

I keep up with RSOE. I realize that there is seismic activity in the extensive field of volcanoes that extends from the west coast to nearly Oklahoma. So is the seismic activity is being construed as the volcanic activity in this country?

I look at the satellite images of "active" volcanoes in central and South America, and aroun the world. I don't see that type of activity here.

We are overdo. But we are overdo for a lot of natural catastrophic phenomenon.

That video is over 2 hours long, I ain't got time for that. Are you able to sum up some of the main points?

The US has 169 volcanoes which are considered active, 55 of which are considered to be serious threats. The threat level of a volcano is determined by the risk an eruption poses to society. Say you've two volcanoes which are serious threats. One is in the middle of nowhere, removed from civilisation. The other is relatively close to a town or city. Therefore, the latter would be considered more of a threat, due to its proximity to human habitation.

The US lacks adequate monitoring on almost all of its volcanoes, although extensive studies have been undertaken on Yellowstone's super volcano. Not all volcanic eruptions are equal; they vary greatly in scope and duration i.e., an eruption could last a day, or a week, or a month. A massive eruption in Yellowstone would blanket most of the country in ash, up to a depth of a few centimetres. Clearly this would have quite a big impact on farming, transport and communications. However, there is a very low chance of this happening. I think you've got about a 1% chance at most of Yellowstone's volcano spewing its guts.

And even if Yellowstone experienced a major eruption, it would hardly spell the doom of humanity. It would primarily affect North America. If it's a big enough eruption, effects may be felt throughout the rest of the world (if it's a really, really big eruption), but those of us happily ensconced in, say, Australia won't be carpeted in ash.

Most of your volcanic activity is in Hawaii and Alaska. Frankly, you'd be at significantly more risk in Indonesia if one of their volcanoes decided to puke its guts up.

a reply to: DeepThoughtCriminal

I realize that statistics can be helpful, but I don't think they are always the most realistic way of looking at things.

It makes more sense to me to say that Yellowstone has 100% chance of blowing up full force, but maybe just a 1% chance of happening in our lifetimes.