Scientists have uncovered evidence of a supervolcano that erupted approximately 454 million years ago beneath the region now known as East Anglia, on the east coast of England. The ancient volcano, believed to be centered beneath The Wash and extending into parts of Norfolk and Lincolnshire, is among the largest eruptions recorded in Earth's history.
The discovery was made through the analysis of microscopic zircon crystals extracted from borehole rock samples collected 80 years ago in North Creake, Norfolk, and Claxby, Lincolnshire. These crystals, smaller than the diameter of a human hair, form within molten magma prior to volcanic eruptions. Researchers from the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the University of Oslo examined the crystals and were able to establish a precise eruption date of about 454.4 million years ago.
The eruption’s scale was immense, with an estimated force thousands of times greater than that of Italy’s Mount Etna. Scientists estimate the blast emitted hundreds of cubic kilometers of volcanic material, classifying it as a magnitude-eight or supervolcanic eruption. Such an explosion would have had vast environmental impacts, launching debris into the atmosphere and depositing volcanic ash across large areas of northern Europe.
This fresh analysis also resolved long-standing questions regarding the origin of the Kinnekulle tephra, a significant volcanic ash layer found extensively across Scandinavia, the Baltic region, Belarus, and Poland. The zircon crystals from England closely match the age and composition of those found in the ash deposits across these regions, supporting the conclusion that ash from this supervolcano dispersed over a wide area, including the Tornquist Sea.
Dr. Tim Pharaoh of the British Geological Survey highlighted the importance of the findings, noting that the research reshapes scientific understanding of England’s deep geological past. He emphasized that unlike active faults, the supervolcano is considered extinct and no longer poses a risk of eruption.
Similar supervolcanic activity has been recorded elsewhere, including the last supervolcano eruption at Lake Taupo in New Zealand about 25,500 years ago. Other well-known supervolcanoes, such as Toba in Indonesia, produced catastrophic eruptions with wide-reaching climatic effects tens of thousands of years ago. While the newly identified East Anglian supervolcano is long dormant, its discovery offers valuable insights into the region’s ancient geological and volcanic history.