According to the British Geological Survey, scientists have identified a super volcano in England buried beneath the east coast of England that once erupted with the force of a million atomic bombs. Located beneath The Wash and measuring at least 40 miles across, this ancient geological giant produced an enormous layer of volcanic ash found spanning from Poland and Belarus all the way through to Sweden and Norway.
Discovery of the East England Supervolcano
Researchers uncovered the prehistoric supervolcano through fresh analysis of rock samples originally gathered roughly 80 years ago from North Creake in Norfolk and Claxby in Lincolnshire. According to Dr Tim Pharaoh of the British Geological Survey (BGS), new technology made this breakthrough possible. “It’s only now that we’ve got these precise ages we can make these bold statements and assertions,” he told the BBC, adding that it is “extremely satisfying to come up with this very precise result.”
Did you know? During covid, with lockdown barring them from collecting new ones, researchers utilized existing archive samples to study crystals the width of a human hair formed in molten magma, ultimately linking the Norfolk and Lincolnshire rock formations to the same eruption event.
Geological Timeline and Safety Reassurances
Data indicates the super volcano had its last cataclysmic eruption around 454 million years ago. This means more time has passed between this eruption and the first dinosaurs than there is between us and the last dinosaurs. Despite the immense scale of the blast—which experts have suggested that an eruption of this scale now could spell extinction for humans—the public faces no ongoing risk.
“Unlike faults, which can be seismically reactivated, a volcano can’t,” Dr Pharaoh explained. “Once it’s gone extinct, that’s it. Nobody needs to worry about the supervolcano erupting again.”
Understanding the UK’s Deep Geological Past
Prof Jenni Barclay is a volcanologist at the University of Bristol volcanologist, and noted the broader significance of the findings. “This work is an important step forward in piecing together the geological history of the UK, and understanding that subsurface is important for lots of reasons linked to our sustainable use of resources, like water and minerals,” she said. By matching the Norfolk and Lincolnshire samples with material previously analysed by researchers at the University of Oslo, researchers confirmed the astonishing geographic reach of the ash fallout across Scandinavia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could the East England supervolcano erupt again?
No. According to the British Geological Survey, volcanoes cannot be seismically reactivated like fault lines. Once it’s gone extinct, that’s it.
How large was the supervolcano?
The centre of the volcano is located beneath The Wash, with the structure measuring at least 40 miles across.
When did it last erupt?
Scientists estimate its last cataclysmic eruption occurred approximately 454 million years ago.
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