The World’s Most Explosive Volcanoes; A Top 10 List

GeologyHub
5 Oct 202204:47

Summary

TLDRThis video explores the 10 most explosive volcanoes globally since the last ice age, using the 1980 Mount Saint Helens eruption as a benchmark. The ranking is based on the number of eruptions with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 5 or higher. The Sheveluch volcano in Russia tops the list with 17 VEI 5 eruptions, while Mount Saint Helens, known for its devastating 1980 eruption, ranks second with 7 significant eruptions. The video also notes the rarity of such large eruptions, highlighting the impact and scale of these volcanic events.

Takeaways

  • 🌋 Around the globe, 860 volcanoes have erupted since the last ice age, with 50 currently active.
  • 🔍 There are 472 additional volcanoes suspected to have had recent eruptions but lack precise dating.
  • 🌐 The video discusses the 10 most explosive volcanoes based on the number of eruptions comparable to or larger than Mount Saint Helens' 1980 event.
  • 📚 Data for eruption sizes and dates are sourced from the Smithsonian Institute's Global Volcanism Program.
  • ⚠️ The 1980 Mount Saint Helens eruption ejected 1.3 cubic kilometers of rock, classifying it as a VEI 5 eruption.
  • 📈 A VEI scale of 5 or higher indicates a large and rare volcanic eruption, with only 20 such events in the last 200 years.
  • 🏔️ Hekla in Iceland ranks 10th, with 5 VEI 5 eruptions since the last ice age, the most recent in 1104.
  • 🌄 Okataina in New Zealand is 9th, known for major eruptions in 1310-1315 and 1886, possibly linked to the Great Russian Famine.
  • 🗻 Mount Vesuvius, 8th on the list, is infamous for its deadly eruptions in 79 CE and 1631-1632.
  • 🌋 Ksudach in Russia, ranked 7th, last had a VEI 5 eruption in 1907 and is characterized by overlapping volcanic craters and calderas.
  • 🌍 Taupo in New Zealand, 6th place, is a supervolcano with a recent VEI 7 eruption in 233 and major events in 1460 BCE and 8130 BCE.
  • 🌟 Witori in Papua New Guinea, 5th, is one of two active lava cone volcanoes and had 3 VEI 6 eruptions in the last 11,650 years.
  • 🌋 Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines and Cotopaxi in Ecuador hold 4th and 3rd places, respectively, for explosive eruptions.
  • 🏔️ Mount Saint Helens is 2nd, with 7 eruptions equal to or larger than its 1980 eruption, one of which was significantly larger.
  • 🌋 Sheveluch in Russia is the most explosive, with 17 VEI 5 and 26 VEI 4 eruptions since the last ice age, and is currently erupting.

Q & A

  • How many volcanoes have erupted since the end of the last ice age?

    -Around the planet, there are 860 volcanoes which have erupted since the end of the last ice age.

  • How many of these volcanoes are currently erupting?

    -50 of these volcanoes are erupting right now.

  • What is the significance of the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens in the context of this video?

    -The 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens is significant because it ejected 1.3 cubic kilometers of volcanic rock, classifying it as a VEI 5 eruption, and it is one of the most well-known eruptions due to the number of people it affected.

  • What does the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) measure?

    -The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) measures the explosivity of volcanic eruptions, with each increase in number representing an explosive eruption that is 10 times larger.

  • How rare are VEI 5 or higher eruptions?

    -Eruptions rated as a VEI 5 or higher are incredibly uncommon, representing only 0.37% of volcanic eruptions in the last 200 years out of 5,469 eruptions.

  • What is the criteria for the most explosive volcanoes since the end of the last ice age?

    -The criteria for the most explosive volcanoes since the end of the last ice age is based on the number of eruptions a volcano produced that were VEI 5 or larger.

  • Which volcano is listed as the 10th most explosive?

    -The Hekla volcano in Iceland is listed as the 10th most explosive, having produced 5 VEI 5 eruptions since the end of the last ice age.

  • What is unique about the Taupo supervolcano's eruption history?

    -The Taupo supervolcano is unique for producing one of the planet's few recent VEI 7 eruptions in 233, along with major explosive events in 1460 BCE and 8130 BCE.

  • Which volcano holds the 2nd place for being the most consistently explosive on the planet?

    -Mount Saint Helens holds the 2nd place for being the most consistently explosive on the planet, with 7 eruptions equal in size or larger than its infamous 1980s eruption.

  • Why is the Sheveluch volcano considered the world's most consistently explosive volcano?

    -The Sheveluch volcano is considered the world's most consistently explosive volcano due to its 17 VEI 5 eruptions and 26 VEI 4 eruptions since the end of the last ice age, and it is currently in the middle of an eruption rated as a VEI 4.

  • What notable event occurred at the Sheveluch volcano in 1964?

    -In 1964, the Sheveluch volcano notably produced a massive summit collapse and debris avalanche that traveled up to 10 miles or 16 kilometers from its summit.

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Transcripts

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Ähnliche Tags
Volcano EruptionsExplosive EventsMount Saint HelensVolcanic ExplosivityGeological HistoryNatural DisastersPlanet EarthVolcano RankingEruption IndexSmithsonian Institute
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