Yellowstone volcano eruption can cause GLOBAL VOLCANIC WINTER and food shortages

Volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer revealed that the most important factor regarding the possibility of volcanic winter following an eruption is the amount of sulphur emitted. The Cambridge professor insisted that just because an eruption is big doesn’t necessarily mean it will release the most sulphur meaning that smaller eruptions could also result in a volcanic winter. During an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk Mr Oppenheimer divulged the issues surrounding an eruption with a high amount of sulphur.

He said: “The key here is sulphur.

“I think the phrase volcanic winter in some ways is not a very helpful way to think about it.

“It’s not like moving into the winter season, it’s that the food growing season could be shorter and temperatures will be lower.

“This will have impacts on food production and food security.

“Countries that are particularly negatively affected by the climate change may well have to import more and they will have to find out which countries haven’t been hit.

“The losers in that scenario are countries that’s food production is very reliant on others.”

The UK imports most of its food from across the globe, including from EU nations, Africa, Asia and North and South America.

Mr Oppenheimer insisted long term effects could see North America, South America and parts of Asia struggle to grow the food needed to supply themselves and foreign nations in the event of volcanic winter.

This reduction could damage the UK’s food security and force an increase in prices for certain food products.

The volcanologist also said: “The Yellowstone volcano is going to affect the global climate.

“It is not so much the size of the eruption but the amount of sulphur released.

“If there was a very large amount of sulphur going up into the stratosphere.

“Then this can lead to a downturn in global temperatures.

“This might lower the global average by a degree or so.

“But the impact will be stronger, particularly in the continents of the northern hemisphere. Food security in Europe and Asia would be affected.

Yellowstone has erupted three times in history, 2.1 million years ago, 1.2 million years ago and 640,000 years ago.

Scientists have previously revealed that should an earthquake occur, a volcanic eruption could follow in just two weeks.

If the Wyoming volcano were to erupt, an estimated 87,000 people would be killed immediately and two-thirds of the USA would immediately be made uninhabitable.

The large spew of ash into the atmosphere would block out sunlight and directly affect life beneath it creating a “nuclear winter”.

source: express.co.uk