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.

Outlines

00:00

🌋 Global Volcanic Explosivity

This paragraph introduces the global scale of volcanic activity, highlighting that there are 860 volcanoes that have erupted since the end of the last ice age, with 50 currently erupting. It also mentions 472 additional volcanoes with suspected eruptions in the last 11,650 years but without precise dating. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on the most explosive volcanoes by referencing the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens as a benchmark for comparison. The video aims to identify the top 10 most explosive volcanoes based on the number of eruptions rated as VEI 5 or higher, which are rare and impactful events. The data is sourced from the Smithsonian Institute's Global Volcanism Program, and the paragraph concludes with an introduction to the criteria for the ranking and a brief mention of the first volcano on the list, Hekla in Iceland.

Keywords

💡Volcanoes

Volcanoes are geological formations resulting from magma reaching the surface of the Earth. They are typically associated with tectonic plate boundaries. In the video, volcanoes are the central theme, with a focus on those that have had explosive eruptions since the end of the last ice age.

💡Explosive Eruptions

Explosive eruptions are a type of volcanic activity characterized by a rapid release of gas and rock from a volcano, often causing destruction and posing hazards. The video discusses the most explosive volcanoes based on the number of eruptions that were comparable to or larger than Mount Saint Helens' 1980 eruption.

💡Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)

The Volcanic Explosivity Index is a scale used to measure the strength of volcanic eruptions. It ranges from 0 to 8, with each increase representing an eruption 10 times more powerful. The video uses the VEI to rank the explosiveness of volcanoes, focusing on those with eruptions rated 5 or higher.

💡Mount Saint Helens

Mount Saint Helens is a stratovolcano in the United States, famous for its catastrophic eruption in 1980. The video uses this eruption as a benchmark for comparing the explosiveness of other volcanoes, highlighting its significant impact on people and the environment.

💡Hekla

Hekla is a volcano in Iceland mentioned in the video as one of the most active and explosive, with 5 VEI 5 eruptions since the end of the last ice age. It exemplifies the type of volcanoes discussed in the video for their consistent explosive activity.

💡Okataina

Okataina is a complex of volcanic features in New Zealand that produced major explosive eruptions. The video discusses its eruptions, which are significant in the context of the most explosive volcanoes, linking one to the Great Russian Famine of 1315.

💡Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius is a well-known volcano in Italy, infamous for its eruption in 79 CE that destroyed Pompeii. The video includes it in the list of the most explosive volcanoes, emphasizing its historical and geological significance.

💡Ksudach

Ksudach is a remote volcano in Russia that last produced a VEI 5 eruption in 1907. The video mentions it to illustrate the diversity of locations where explosive volcanic activity occurs.

💡Taupo

The Taupo supervolcano in New Zealand is noted for producing one of the planet's few recent VEI 7 eruptions. The video highlights its major explosive events, showcasing the scale of volcanic eruptions.

💡Witori

Witori is a lava cone volcano in Papua New Guinea that produced multiple VEI 6 eruptions. The video discusses its unique volcanic structure and explosive history, emphasizing its place among the world's most explosive volcanoes.

💡Mount Pinatubo

Mount Pinatubo is a volcano in the Philippines that had a massive eruption in 1991. The video includes it in the ranking of explosive volcanoes, noting its significant impact and the scale of its eruption.

💡Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is an active stratovolcano in Ecuador, known for its symmetrical shape and explosive eruptions. The video mentions it as one of the most explosive volcanoes, highlighting its consistent activity.

💡Sheveluch

Sheveluch is a volcano in Russia that tops the list in the video for its consistent explosive activity, with numerous VEI 5 and 4 eruptions. It is currently in an eruption, demonstrating its ongoing explosive nature.

Highlights

There are 860 volcanoes worldwide that have erupted since the end of the last ice age.

50 of these volcanoes are currently erupting.

472 additional volcanoes are suspected to have erupted in the last 11,650 years without 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 eruption.

Eruption sizes and dates are sourced from the Smithsonian Institute's Global Volcanism Program.

Mount Saint Helens' 1980 eruption ejected 1.3 cubic kilometers of volcanic rock, classifying it as a VEI 5.

Eruptions rated VEI 5 or higher are large and rare, representing only 0.37% of the last 200 years' volcanic eruptions.

Hekla volcano in Iceland is ranked 10th, with 5 VEI 5 eruptions since the last ice age.

Okataina in New Zealand is 9th, known for its major explosive eruptions in 1310-1315 and 1886.

Mount Vesuvius, famous for the destruction of Pompeii in 79 CE, is ranked 8th.

Ksudach in Russia, with a VEI 5 eruption in 1907, is the 7th most explosive volcano.

Taupo in New Zealand, which had a VEI 7 eruption in 233, is 6th on the list.

Witori in Papua New Guinea, one of two active lava cone volcanoes, is 5th, with 3 VEI 6 eruptions.

Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines is 4th, known for its explosive eruptions.

Cotopaxi in Ecuador ranks 3rd among the most explosive volcanoes.

Mount Saint Helens is 2nd, with 7 eruptions equal or larger than its 1980 eruption.

Sheveluch in Russia is the most consistently explosive volcano, with 17 VEI 5 and 26 VEI 4 eruptions since the last ice age.

Sheveluch also had a significant summit collapse and debris avalanche in 1964.

The video concludes with a list of Sheveluch's VEI 5 eruptions since the end of the last ice age.

Transcripts

Around the planet, there are 860 volcanoes which have erupted at some point since the

end of the last ice age of which 50 are erupting right now.

Additionally, there are another 472 volcanoes which are suspected to have erupted in the

last 11,650 years but do not yet have precisely dated eruption deposits such as the Crow Lagoon

volcano in Canada.

Because there are so many volcanoes with recent eruptions, it can be difficult to answer a

simple question; which volcanoes in the world are consistently the most explosive?

This video will answer that question, by briefly discussing the 10 volcanoes based on the number

of explosive volcanic eruptions they have produced which were comparable to or larger

than the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens.

Before I begin I want to state that all of the eruption sizes and dates were pulled from

the Smithsonian Institute's Global Volcanism Program's "volcanoes of the world" database.

The reason why I am bringing up the 1980 to 1986 eruption of Mount Saint Helens as a comparison

is twofold.

First, that eruption is one of the most well known due to the sheer number of people it

effected.

Second, this eruption explosively ejected 1.3 cubic kilometers of volcanic rock, per

the U.S. Geological Survey.

This puts it just over the margin required to be classified as a 5 on the 0 to 8 volcanic

explosivity index.

With the exception of between 0 and 1 and 1 and 2, each increase in number represents

an explosive eruption which is 10 times larger.

Eruptions that rate as a 5 or larger can undeniably be described as large volcanic eruptions and

are thus incredibly uncommon.

For example, in the last 200 years, out of the 5,469 volcanic eruptions which occurred,

only 20 were rated as a VEI 5 or higher on the volcanic explosivity index scale, representing

the largest 0.37% of volcanic eruptions.

Thus, I have specifically narrowed my criteria for the most explosive volcanoes since the

end of the last ice age based on the number of eruptions a volcano produced that were

5 or larger on this scale.

In 10th place, we have the Hekla volcano in Iceland.

This combination fissure and stratovolcano has historically been one of the most active

volcanoes in the country.

It has produced 5 VEI 5 eruptions since the end of the last ice age, the most recent of

which occurred in 1104.

The next most explosive volcano which earns spot number 9 on this list is Okataina.

Okataina is a complex of lava domes, calderas, and fissure vents which produced major explosive

eruptions from 1310 to 1315 and in 1886.

The former eruption might be linked to the Great Russian Famine of 1315.

Spot number 8 goes to Mount Vesuvius, which famously produced deadly eruptions in both

79 CE, which destroyed the city of Pompeii and during 1631 to 1632.

The cone of Vesuvius sits within a larger caldera.

The 7th most consistently explosive volcano in the world is the remote Russian volcano

of Ksudach.

Last producing a VEI 5 eruption in 1907, this complex is a group of numerous overlapping

volcanic craters and calderas.

Spot number 6 goes to the Taupo supervolcano in New Zealand.

Although Taupo did produce one of the planet's few recent VEI 7 eruptions in 233, it also

produced major explosive events in 1460 BCE, and 8130 BCE.

The 5th most explosive volcano on the planet is Witori in Papua New Guinea.

This volcano is one of two active complexes on the planet to be considered a lava cone

volcano, aka a cone made out of highly viscous lava.

Witori produced 3 VEI 6 eruptions during the last 11,650 years.

4th place goes to Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines while 3rd place goes to Cotopaxi in Ecuador.

Meanwhile, the second most consistently explosive volcano on the planet is Mount Saint Helens,

with 7 eruptions being equal in size or larger than its infamous 1980s eruption.

One such eruption was an order of magnitude larger.

And finally, with 17 VEI 5 eruptions and also a whopping 26 VEI 4 eruptions since the end

of the last ice age, the Sheveluch volcano in Russia is by far the world's most consistently

explosive volcano.

Not only is this volcano in the middle of an eruption rated as a VEI 4, but it notably

produced a massive summit collapse and debris avalanche in 1964 which travelled up to 10

miles or 16 kilometers from its summit.

Here is a list of when each of its VEI 5 eruptions occurred since the end of the last ice age.

As a final note, this volcano takes the number 1 spot for producing the most VEI 5, VEI 4,

and VEI 3 eruptions during the aforementioned timespan.

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