According to the British Geological Survey, scientists analyzing rock samples collected decades ago have discovered the remains of the Wash supervolcano, a massive volcanic system that erupted roughly 454 million years ago beneath England’s east coast. The ancient structure stretched across at least 65 kilometers, covering parts of Norfolk and Lincolnshire with the explosive force of several thousand hydrogen explosions long before dinosaurs appeared.
How Researchers Rediscovered the Wash Supervolcano
According to the British Geological Survey, researchers made the breakthrough by reexamining core samples pulled from deep boreholes in North Creake, Norfolk, and Claxby, near Horncastle, Lincolnshire. These samples had sat in archives at Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, for about 80 years. During the Covid lockdown, scientists used new equipment to analyze tiny zircon crystals—each about the width of a human hair—formed within the molten magma prior to eruption. The analysis revealed that the Norfolk and Lincolnshire samples formed at almost exactly the same time, roughly 454.4 million years ago, linking them to a single volcano.
Did you know? Material analyzed by the University of Oslo matches the age of these UK samples, suggesting that ash from the Wash supervolcano eruption was blown over to what is now Scandinavia and settled on the sea floor, according to the British Geological Survey.
Understanding Supervolcano Scale and the Volcanic Explosivity Index
Geologists apply this classification to any volcanic event that expels upwards of 1,000 cubic kilometers (240 cubic miles) of debris during one single occurrence. Researchers measure these immense events using the Volcanic Explosivity Index, where a super-eruption reaches magnitude 8, and the scale runs from 0 to 8 while considering both the frequency of eruptions and the total volume of expelled material. For comparison, the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption released around three megatonnes of sulfur and lowered global temperatures by about 0.5°C, whereas super-eruptions release vast quantities of sulfur dioxide that reflect sunlight and alter the global climate on a massive scale.
Can Extinct Supervolcanoes Like The Wash Erupt Again?
According to BGS scientist Tim Pharaoh, the Wash supervolcano cannot erupt again because, since unlike faults, extinct volcanoes do not reactivate. Hidden completely beneath The Wash and various sections of England’s flat eastern terrain, this ancient system leaves no surface indicators behind. While systems like Yellowstone in the United States, Toba in Indonesia, Taupō in New Zealand, Campi Flegrei in Italy, and Aira in Japan differ greatly in their activity and eruption histories, the Wash supervolcano is now extinct.
| Supervolcano System | Location | Status / Notable Event |
|---|---|---|
| The Wash | UK (Norfolk and Lincolnshire) | Extinct, erupted about 454.4 million years ago |
| Yellowstone | United States (Wyoming, Idaho, Montana) | Most recent major eruption roughly 630,000 years ago |
| Taupō Volcano | New Zealand | Ōruanui eruption released roughly 1,000 cubic kilometers about 26,500 years ago |
Frequently Asked Questions About Supervolcanoes
Could The Wash supervolcano erupt again?
No. According to BGS scientist Tim Pharaoh, it cannot erupt again because, since unlike faults, extinct volcanoes do not reactivate.
How did scientists discover the Wash supervolcano?
Researchers at the British Geological Survey uncovered the formation by reanalyzing geological cores pulled eight decades prior from deep Lincolnshire and Norfolk boreholes, utilizing modern instrumentation to inspect minute zircon crystals embedded inside.
How often do super-eruptions happen?
Super-eruptions generally happen tens of thousands of years apart, and volcanoes do not follow a fixed schedule.
What is the Volcanic Explosivity Index?
Reaching a peak of magnitude 8 for super-eruptions, this classification system evaluates both the frequency of eruptions and the total volume of material expelled, spans a numerical range from 0 to 8.
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