Supervolcanoes

Characteristics of a Supervolcano 

A supervolcano is a very large volcano with the potential to erupt catastrophically and with enormous power. 

Supervolcanoes develop on a handful of places around the globe and are located on destructive plate margins or over parts of the mantle that are really hot called hotspots. Three super volcanoes are located in South America. A super volcano is also found in Japan, Aira Caldera. There are also super volcanoes in Indonesia, New Zealand and Siberia. 

Differences between volcanoes and super volcanoes

Supervolcanoes 

• EMISSIONS: 1000km cubed of material (av)
• APPEARANCE: Large depressions (calderas) 

Volcanoes 

• EMISSIONS: 1km cubed of material (av)
• APPEARANCE: Cones

Formation of a super volcano:

• Rising magma cannot escape, and a large bulge appears on the surface
• Cracks appear in the surface and gas and ash erupt from the magma chamber
• The magma chamber collapses, forming a depression called a caldera.