List of large volcanic eruptions

This is a sortable summary of the pages Timeline of volcanism on Earth, List of Quaternary volcanic eruptions, and Large volume volcanic eruptions in the Basin and Range Province. Uncertainties as to dates and tephra volumes are not restated, and references are not repeated. Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) values for events in the Miocene epoch sometimes lack references. They are given as VEI-equivalent, as orientation of the erupted tephra volume.

Overview

VEI	Volcano name	Volcanic arc/belt, subregion, or hotspot	Historical Date	Geological Date in Ma	Tephra or eruption name
5	Puyehue-Cordon Caulle	Andean Volcanic Belt	2011-06-04 AD	0.000004
5	Mount Hudson	Andean Volcanic Belt	1991-08-08 AD	0.000024
6	Mount Pinatubo	Luzon Volcanic Arc	1991-06-15 AD	0.000024
5	El Chichon	.	1982-04-04 AD	0.000034
5	Mount St. Helens	Cascade Volcanic Arc	1980-05-18 AD	0.000035
5	Mount Agung	.	1963-03-17 AD	0.000053
5	Bezymianny	Kamchatka Peninsula	1955 AD	0.000061
5	Kharimkotan	Kuril Islands	1933 AD	0.000083
5	Cerro Azul	Andean Volcanic Belt	1932-04-10 AD	0.000084
6	Novarupta	Aleutian Range	1912-06-06 AD	0.000103
5	Ksudach	Kamchatka Peninsula	1907-03-28 AD	0.000109
6	Santa María	Central America Volcanic Arc	1902-10-24 AD	0.000113
5	Mount Tarawera	Taupo Volcanic Zone	1886-06-10 AD	0.000129
6	Krakatoa	Sunda Arc	1883-08-26 AD	0.000132
5	Cosigüina	Central America Volcanic Arc	1835-01-20 AD	0.000181
7	Mount Tambora	Lesser Sunda Islands	1815-04-10 AD	0.000201
6?	Source unknown	Source unknown	1808/1809 AD	0.000207	Undocumented 1808/1809 eruption[1]
6	Grímsvötn	Iceland	1783-85 AD	0.000231	Skaftáreldar at Laki
6	Long Island (Papua New Guinea)	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	1660 AD	0.000356
6	Kolumbo, Santorini	South Aegean Volcanic Arc	1650-09-27	0.000365
6	Huaynaputina	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone	1600-02-19 AD	0.000416
6	Billy Mitchell	Bougainville & Solomon Is.	1580 AD	0.000436
6	Bárðarbunga	Iceland	1477 AD	0.000539
6	Kuwae	Vanuatu	1452-53 AD	0.000563
6	Quilotoa	Andes, Northern Volcanic Zone	1280 AD	0.000736
7	Mt.Rinjani	Lombok Island	1257	0.000759	1257 Samalas eruption; may have triggered the Little Ice Age [2]
7	/ Baekdu Mountain	Balhae (China – North Korea border)	969 AD	0.001047	Tianchi eruption
6	Katla	Iceland	934-940 AD	0.001076	Eldgjá eruption
6	Ceboruco	Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt	930 AD	0.001086
6	Dakataua	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	800 AD	0.001216
6	Pago	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	710 AD	0.001306
6	Mount Churchill	eastern Alaska, USA	700 AD	0.001316
6	Rabaul caldera	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	540 AD	0.001476
6	Lake Ilopango	Central America Volcanic Arc	450 AD	0.001566
6	Ksudach	Kamchatka Peninsula	240 AD	0.001776
7	Taupo Volcano	Taupo Volcanic Zone	230 AD	0.001786	Hatepe eruption
5	Mount Vesuvius	Campanian volcanic arc	79 AD	0.001937	Pompeii eruption
6	Mount Churchill	eastern Alaska, USA	60 AD	0.001956
6	Ambrym	Vanuatu	50 AD	0.001966
6	Apoyeque	Central America Volcanic Arc	50 BC	0.002065
6	Mount Okmok	Aleutian Islands	100 BC	0.002115
6	Raoul Island	Kermadec Islands	250 BC	0.002265
5	Mount Meager	Garibaldi Volcanic Belt	400 BC	0.002415	Bridge River Ash
5	Mount Tongariro	Taupo Volcanic Zone	550 BC	0.002565
6	Mount Pinatubo	Luzon Volcanic Arc	1050 BC	0.003065
5	Avachinsky	Kamchatka Peninsula	1350 BC	0.003365	tephra layer IIAV3
6	Pago	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	1370 BC	0.003385
6	Taupo Volcano	Taupo Volcanic Zone	1460 BC	0.003475
5	Avachinsky	Kamchatka Peninsula	1500 BC	0.003515
7	Youngest Caldera, Santorini	South Aegean Volcanic Arc	1610 BC	0.003625	Minoan eruption
6	Mount Aniakchak	Aleutian Range	1645 BC	0.003660
6	Mount Veniaminof	Aleutian Range	1750 BC	0.003765
6	Mount St. Helens	Cascade Volcanic Arc	1860 BC	0.003875
6	Mount Hudson	Andes, Southern Volcanic Zone	1890 BC	0.003925
6	Black Peak	Aleutian Range	1900 BC	0.003915
6	Long Island (Papua New Guinea)	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	2040 BC	0.004075
7	Cerro Blanco (Argentina)	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone	2300 BC	0.004315
6	Mount Vesuvius	Campanian volcanic arc	2420 BC	0.004435	Avellino eruption
5	Avachinsky	Kamchatka Peninsula	3200 BC	0.005215	tephra layer IAv20; AV3
6	Mount Pinatubo	Luzon Volcanic Arc	3550 BC	0.005565
6	Taal Volcano	Luzon Volcanic Arc	3580 BC	0.005595
5	Haroharo Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone	3580 BC	0.005595
6	Pago	Bismarck Volcanic Arc	4000 BC	0.006015
6	Masaya Volcano	Central America Volcanic Arc	4050 BC	0.006065
5	Avachinsky	Kamchatka Peninsula	4340 BC	0.006355	tephra layer IAv12; AV4
7	Kikai Caldera	Ryukyu Islands	4350 BC	0.006365	Akahoya eruption
6	Macauley Island	Kermadec Islands	4360 BC	0.006375
6	Mount Hudson	Andes, Southern Volcanic Zone	4750 BC	0.006765
6	Mount Aniakchak	Aleutian Range	5250 BC	0.007265
6	Lake Mashū	Japan	5550 BC	0.007565
6	Tao-Rusyr Caldera	Kuril Islands	5550 BC	0.007565
5	Mayor Island/Tuhua	Taupo Volcanic Zone	5560 BC	0.007575
7	Crater Lake (as Mount Mazama)	Cascade Volcanic Arc	5677 BC	0.007692
6	Khangar	Kamchatka Peninsula	5700 BC	0.007715
6	Crater Lake	Cascade Volcanic Arc	5900 BC	0.007915
5	Avachinsky	Kamchatka Peninsula	5980 BC	0.007995	tephra layer IAv1
6	Menengai	East African Rift	6050 BC	0.008065
5	Haroharo Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone	6060 BC	0.008075
6	Sakurajima	Japan	6200 BC	0.008215
7	Kurile Lake	Kamchatka Peninsula	6440 BC	0.008455	Ilinsky eruption
6	Karymsky (volcano)	Kamchatka Peninsula	6600 BC	0.008615
6	Mount Vesuvius	Campanian volcanic arc	6940 BC	0.008955	Mercato eruption
6	Fisher Caldera	Aleutian Islands	7420 BC	0.009435
6	Mount Pinatubo	Luzon Volcanic Arc	7460 BC	0.009475
6	Lvinaya Past	Kuril Islands	7480 BC	0.009495
5	Rotoma Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone	7560 BC	0.009575
5	Ko'olau Range	Honolulu Volcanic Series	8000 BC	0.010015
5	Taupo Volcano	Taupo Volcanic Zone	8130 BC	0.010145
6	Grímsvötn	Iceland	8230 BC	0.010245
6	Nevado de Toluca	Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt		0.0105 Ma	Upper Toluca Pumice
6	Ulleungdo	South Korea	8750 BC	0.010765
5	Mount Tongariro	Taupo Volcanic Zone	9450 BC	0.011465
5	Taupo Volcano	Taupo Volcanic Zone	9460 BC	0.011475
5	Mount Tongariro	Taupo Volcanic Zone	9650 BC	0.011665
6	Laacher See	Eifel hotspot		0.0129 Ma
5	Phlegrean Fields	Campanian volcanic arc		0.015 Ma	Campanian Tuff
5	Mount Vesuvius	Campanian volcanic arc		0.016 Ma	Green Pumice
6	Emmons Lake caldera	Aleutian Range		0.017 Ma
6	Mount Vesuvius	Campanian volcanic arc		0.0183 Ma	Basal Pumice
?	Cape Riva Caldera, Santorini	South Aegean Volcanic Arc		0.021 Ma
7	Aira Caldera	Japan		0.022 Ma
8	Taupo Volcano	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.0245 Ma	Oruanui eruption
?	Laguna Caldera	Luzon Volcanic Arc		0.027-29 Ma
?	Menengai	East African Rift		0.029 Ma
6	Morne Diablotins	Lesser Antilles island arc		0.03 Ma	Grand Savanne Ignimbrite
7	Phlegrean Fields	Campanian volcanic arc		0.039 Ma	Campanian Ignimbrite Eruption
5	Galeras	Andes, Northern Volcanic Zone		0.04 Ma
7	Kurile Lake	Kamchatka Peninsula		0.0415 Ma	Golygin eruption
7	Okataina Volcanic Complex	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.05 Ma	Rotoiti Ignimbrite
7	Maninjau Caldera	Sunda Arc		0.052 Ma
?	Skaros Caldera, Santorini	South Aegean Volcanic Arc		0.07 Ma
8	Lake Toba Caldera	Sunda Arc		0.073 Ma	Youngest Toba Tuff
7	Lago de Atitlán	Central America Volcanic Arc		0.084 Ma	Los Chocoyos eruption
7	Mount Aso	Japan		0.09 Ma
6	Sierra La Primavera	Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt		0.095 Ma	Tala Tuff
6	Mount Aso	Japan		0.12 Ma
?	Yellowstone Caldera	Yellowstone hotspot		0.070-150 Ma	magmatic
6	Mount Aso	Japan		0.14 Ma
5	Galeras	Andes, Northern Volcanic Zone		0.15 Ma
6	Kos-Nisyros Caldera	South Aegean Volcanic Arc		0.161 Ma	Kos Plateau Tuff
?	Southern Caldera, Santorini	South Aegean Volcanic Arc		0.18 Ma
7	Rotorua Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.22 Ma
7	Maroa Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.23 Ma
7	Reporoa Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.23 Ma
6	Emmons Lake caldera	Aleutian Range		0.233 Ma
8	Whakamaru Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.254 Ma	Whakamaru Ignimbrite
6	Mount Aso	Japan		0.27 Ma
7	Haroharo Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.28 Ma	Matahina Ignimbrite
6	Uzon-Geyzernaya calderas	Kamchatka Peninsula		0.28 Ma
6	Roccamonfina Caldera	Campania, Italy		0.385 Ma
7	Diamante Caldera	Andes, Southern Volcanic Zone		0.45 Ma
?	Toba Caldera	Sunda Arc		0.501 Ma	Middle Toba Tuff
6	Galeras	Andes, Northern Volcanic Zone		0.56 Ma
8	Yellowstone Caldera	Yellowstone hotspot		0.64 Ma	Lava Creek Tuff
7	Long Valley Caldera	eastern California, USA		0.76 Ma	Bishop Tuff
?	Toba Caldera	Sunda Arc		0.84 Ma	Oldest Toba Tuff
7	Mangakino Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		0.97 Ma	Rocky Hill Ignimbrite
7	Mangakino Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		1.01 Ma	Unit E
7	Valles Caldera	New Mexico, USA (Raton hotspot)		1.15 Ma	Upper Bandelier eruption
?	Toba Caldera	Sunda Arc		1.2 Ma	Haranggoal Dacite Tuff
7	Mangakino Caldera	Taupo Volcanic Zone		1.23 Ma	Ongatit Ignimbrite
7	Henry's Fork Caldera	Yellowstone hotspot		1.3 Ma	Mesa Falls Tuff
?	Valles Caldera	New Mexico, USA		1.47 Ma	Lower Bandelier eruption
6	Cerro Guacha	Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex		1.7 Ma	Puripica Chico ignimbrite
?	Source unknown	Japan		1.75 Ma	Ebisutoge-Fukuda tephras
7	Lake Atitlán	Central America Volcanic Arc		1.8 Ma
8	Island Park Caldera	Yellowstone hotspot		2.1 Ma	Huckleberry Ridge Tuff
8	Cerro Galán	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		2.2 Ma	Cerro Galán Ignimbrite
7	Pastos Grandes Caldera	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		2.9 Ma	Pastos Grandes Ignimbrite
7	Cerro Guacha	Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex		3.5 Ma	Tara ignimbrite
8	Pacana Caldera	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		4 Ma	Atana Ignimbrite
8	Heise volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		4.45 Ma	Kilgore Tuff
?	Heise volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		5.51 Ma	Conant Creek Tuff
8	Cerro Guacha	Altiplano-Puna volcanic complex		5.7 Ma	Guacha ignimbrite
7	Cerro Panizos	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		6.1 Ma	Panizos Ignimbrite
?	Heise volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		6.27 Ma	Walcott Tuff
8	Heise volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		6.62 Ma	Blacktail Tuff
7	Black Mountain Caldera	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		7 Ma	Thirsty Canyon Tuff
7	Pastos Grandes Caldera	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		8.3 Ma	Sifon Ignimbrite
?	Twin Falls volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		8.6 to 10 Ma
?	Picabo volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		10.09 and 10.21 Ma	Arbon Valley Tuffs
8	Bruneau-Jarbidge caldera	Yellowstone hotspot		10.0 to 12.5 Ma	Ashfall Fossil Beds eruption
7	Timber Mountain caldera complex	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		11.45 Ma	Timber Mountain Tuff - Ammonia Tanks member
8	Timber Mountain caldera complex	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		11.6 Ma	Timber Mountain Tuff - Rainer Mesa member
8	Paintbrush Caldera	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		12.7 Ma	Paintbrush Tuff - Topopah Spring member
8	Paintbrush Caldera	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		12.8 Ma	Paintbrush Tuff - Tiva Canyon member
7	Silent Canyon caldera complex	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		13 Ma	Belted Range Tuff
7	Crater Flat Group	Southwest Nevada volcanic field		13.25 Ma	Crater Flat Tuff, Bullfrog member
?	Owyhee-Humboldt volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot		12.8 to 13.9 Ma
6	Campi Flegrei	Campanian volcanic arc		14.9 Ma	Neapolitan Yellow Tuff
8	Source unknown	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		15 Ma	Huaylillas Ignimbrite
7	McDermitt volcanic field, North	Yellowstone hotspot		15 Ma	Whitehorse Creek Tuff
?	Lake Owyhee volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot?		15 to 15.5 Ma
7	McDermitt volcanic field, South	Yellowstone hotspot		15.6 Ma	Longridge Tuff member 2-3
7	McDermitt volcanic field, South	Yellowstone hotspot		15.6 Ma	Longridge Tuff member 5
7	McDermitt volcanic field, South	Yellowstone hotspot		15.7 Ma	Double H Tuff
7	McDermitt volcanic field, North	Yellowstone hotspot		15.8 Ma	Trout Creek Mountains Tuff
?	McDermitt volcanic field, South	Yellowstone hotspot		16 Ma	Hoppin Peaks Tuff
7	McDermitt volcanic field, South	Yellowstone hotspot		16.548 Ma	Oregon Canyon Tuff
?	Northwest Nevada volcanic field	Yellowstone hotspot?		15.5 to 16.5 Ma
?	Columbia River Basalt Group	Yellowstone hotspot		17 Ma
?	Source unknown	Andes, Central Volcanic Zone		19 Ma	Oxaya Ignimbrites
7	Mount Belknap Caldera	Marysvale volcanic field		19 Ma	Joe Lott member
7	Monroe Peak Caldera	Marysvale volcanic field		23 Ma	Osiris Tuff
8	La Garita Caldera	San Juan volcanic field		27.8 Ma	Fish Canyon Tuff
7	Bennett Lake Volcanic Complex	Skukum Group		50 Ma

Further reading

• Scott E. Bryan; Ingrid Ukstins Peate, David W. Peate, Stephen Self, Dougal A. Jerram, Michael R. Mawby, J.S. Marsh, Jodie A. Miller (2010). "The largest volcanic eruptions on Earth". Earth-Science Reviews. 102 (3–4): 207–229. Bibcode:2010ESRv..102..207B. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2010.07.001.  Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)

References

• Ward, Peter L. (2 April 2009). "Sulfur Dioxide Initiates Global Climate Change in Four Ways" (PDF). Thin Solid Films. 517 (11): 3188–3203. Bibcode:2009TSF...517.3188W. doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2009.01.005. Retrieved 2010-03-19. 
  • Supplementary Table I: "Supplementary Table to P.L. Ward, Thin Solid Films (2009) Major volcanic eruptions and provinces" (PDF). Teton Tectonics. Retrieved 2010-03-16. 
  • Supplementary Table II: "Supplementary References to P.L. Ward, Thin Solid Films (2009)" (PDF). Teton Tectonics. Retrieved 2010-03-16. 
• "Large Holocene Eruptions". Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2010-04-17.