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

Summary

This 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.