Scientists one of the US's largest supervolcanoes in California may be about to erupt after lying dormant for hundreds of thousands of years.
At a sprawling 20 miles long, 11 miles wide and 3,000 feet deep the Long Valley Caldera, California, has struck fear into researchers for years. Due to its enormity, it is classed as one of the world's 20 known super volcanoes, with a classification of VEI 8 on the eruption scale.
The huge size of the volcano has meant volcanologists have long feared that there is very little anyone could do in terms of crisis management should the worst happen and the volcano erupts.
It hasn't erupted in 760,000 years, or at least not to the extent that scientists fear, but this has only intensified their fears further. And recently scientists have observed that creeks and hot springs have surfaced around the area, which is usually a sign that the surface beneath could be about to blow, reported the Express.
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A scalding hot pool of mineral water is viewed along Hot Creek at the Long Valley caldera (Getty Images)In the Science Channel's documentary, Secrets of the Underground, scientist Rob Nelson said there are constant "alarming signs of possible volcanic activity".
He added: "And there are clues pointing towards an imminent eruption scattered throughout this valley — the site of the second largest explosive volcanic eruption in North America".
He also noted that while an eruption of the magnitude seen 760,000 years ago is unlikely, an eruption from the volcano has an "existential threat to the millions of people living in the surrounding area".
Concern over renewed volcanic activity started in1980 with a swarm of earthquakes including three magnitude 6 tremors (Getty Images)But from 1970 to 1980 there had been an alarming number of earthquakes which put worry into the minds of scientists studying the area, there was even a rise in the floor believed to be a growth in magma.
During the Science Channels investigation, Geophysicist Jared Peacock found a rather disturbing feature of the volcano after using InSAR (remote sensing technology). He discovered a "resurgent dome" near Mammoth Lakes, a town in the Sierra Nevada mountains, but thankfully tests confirmed that due to the "scattered" nature of the liquid under the dome, it isn't currently a cause for concern.
The volcano last erupted 760,000 years ago (Universal Images Group via Getty Images)Mr Peacock said: "We can say conclusively that there is no giant magma chamber below. But there are smaller satellite ones around the area."
It comes after authorities put together evacuation plans anticipating a supervolcano on the brink of eruption for first time in almost 500 years after a 4.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the Italian location.
The volcano is 20 miles long, 11 miles wide and 3,000 feet deep (Getty Images)Detailed plans were drawn up in October to evacuate tens of thousands of people living in fear with the peak looking like it is about to blow. Locals in Campi Flegrei near the Naples, Italy, want to know what to do if the worst should happen after scientists issued a warning earlier this year.
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