Science Inquiry Series: It’s Tuff Out There–Reevaluating a Yellowstone Supereruption

How can we understand volcanic “supereruptions” when none have occurred in recorded history? Stacy Henderson, Ph.D. candidate in MSU’s Department of Geology, will discuss her study of minerals in the Lava Creek “tuff”—consolidated volcanic ash from Yellowstone’s most recent supereruption—and the clues the minerals reveal about how these eruptions work, and how this can help us assess volcanic hazards and interpret signals from Earth’s largest active volcanic systems.