Supervolcano

A supervolcano is a volcano capable of an eruption powerful enough to register 8, the highest value, on the volcanic explosivity index, releasing more than one thousand cubic kilometers of eruptive material in a single event. Such eruptions occur where enormous pressure builds beneath the crust until it can no longer be contained, at sites such as the Yellowstone hotspot or subduction zones like Toba in Indonesia. Because of the sheer volume of ash and lava involved, a supervolcanic eruption can disrupt climate for years afterward and spread volcanic material across vast areas. The most recent eruption of this magnitude was the Oruanui eruption in New Zealand, roughly 26,000 years ago.