A supervolcano slumbers in the heart of Europe - Is the monster awakening beneath Lake Laach?

Translated from German - Original by @AstroTim

There is an active volcanic system beneath the Eifel! Even today, Lake Laacher Lake bears witness to a massive eruption in the past. How high is the risk of an outbreak today?

#space #science #astronomy #astrophysics

Photo credit: NASA/ESA

Sources:

[MountainFisher]

The danger is greatly exaggerated in this video. Information is incorrect as well such as no eruption for 10, 000 years does not mean a volcanic field is classified as extinct, it is classified as inactive or dormant. Now a cinder cone may be classified as monogenetic or it erupts once and never will again, but the volcanic field it is in like the Potrillo Volcanic Field near me hasn't erupted for 16, 000 years, but they by no means consider it extinct and it will erupt again. The PVF sits on the Rio Grande Rift that has birthed many volcanoes including the dormant Valles Caldera Supervolcano.

The risk of an eruption at the Laacher See (its name in Germany) is nil right now and for the next hundred years as well. Nil in scientific parlance means that an event is extremely unlikely, but not impossible. Just like saying in the next one million years an eruption is guaranteed, really means nothing, the Potrillo field next to me most likely will erupt in the next 5, 000 years as on average it erupts every 12, 000 to 15, 000 years so it's overdue. Overdue or not it isn't showing any signs it might erupt today.