The volcano, located in the Hudson Mountains, blew around 207 BC, plus or minus 240 years, according to their paper.
Evidence for this comes from a British-American airborne geophysical survey in 2004-5 that used radar to delve deep under the ice sheet to map the terrain beneath.
Vaughan’s team spotted anomalous radar reflections over 23,000 square kilometres (8,900 sq. miles), an area bigger than Wales.
They interpret this signal as being a thick layer of ash, rock and glass, formed from fused silica, that the volcano spewed out in its fury.
The amount of material — 0.31 cubic kilometres (0.07 cubic miles) — indicates an eruption of between three and four on a yardstick called the Volcanic Explosive Index (VEI).
By comparison, the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, which was greater, rates a VEI of five, and that of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 is a VEI of six.
“We believe this was the biggest eruption in Antarctica during the last 10,000 years,” BAS’ Hugh Corr says.
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good thing too,, a pretty good sized event would make a real mess for some.
If old hardened black lava exploded up into the atmosphere, it could cause extreme problems.
10 years ago mexican farmers burnt up their crops and Texas had a cool summer, with the carbon blocking out the sun’s rays.
It was 4 months of haze.
W and Fox wrangled about it.
anomalous radar reflections over 23,000 square kilometres (8,900 sq. miles), an area bigger than Wales.
Of course an area of ice the size of Wales suddenly covered with black ash and debris might just warm up considerable resulting in increased release of fresh water into the oceans?