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Volcanic Eruption Timeline

Interactive geological timeline of major volcanic eruptions. Analyze VEI magnitude, tephra volume, climate impact, and energy release with scientific precision.

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Category Physics & Science
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Max VEI Recorded 8.0
Total Tephra (km³) 0
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About

Volcanic eruptions are the most energetic events in planetary geology, capable of altering global climates and reshaping continents. This tool serves as a high-precision reference for geologists, researchers, and students to analyze historical eruption data. It correlates the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) with quantitative metrics such as Tephra Volume, Thermal Energy Release, and Stratospheric Injection Height. Unlike simple lists, this application calculates the energy equivalence of these events against anthropogenic markers (e.g., nuclear yields) and tracks their impact on global temperatures (Volcanic Winter).

geology volcanology earth science natural disasters timeline climate change

Formulas

To understand the scale of these events, we utilize the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) and Kinetic Energy estimations. The energy E released is approximated by the mass of ejected tephra and its ejection velocity, plus thermal energy.

Etotal ≈ M(12v2 + CpΔT)

Where M is mass (kg), v is velocity, Cp is specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the temperature difference of magma. The VEI is logarithmic:

Vejecta ≥ 10(VEI − 4) km3

Reference Data

Eruption EventDateVEITephra (km3)Magma TypeClimate Impact (°C)
Toba Supereruption74,000 BCE82,800Rhyolite-3.5 (Global)
Tambora18157150Trachyandesite-0.7 (Year w/o Summer)
Krakatoa1883620Dacite-0.4
Pinatubo1991610Dacite-0.5
Novarupta1912613Rhyolite-0.1
Santa Maria190268.5AndesiteNegligible
Vesuvius7953.3PhonoliteLocal

Frequently Asked Questions

The difference is one of magnitude and frequency. A VEI 7 (Super-colossal) ejects >100 km³ of material and occurs every few thousand years (e.g., Tambora). A VEI 8 (Mega-colossal) ejects >1,000 km³, often collapsing massive calderas and causing bottleneck events in biological evolution (e.g., Toba). VEI 8 events are roughly 10 times larger than VEI 7.
We calculate energy based on the volume of dense rock equivalent (DRE) ejected. Standard geological models estimate 1 km³ of volcanic ejecta contains approximately 4-5 Petajoules of thermal and kinetic energy. We compare this to the yield of the "Little Boy" device (approx. 15 kilotons or 63 Terajoules) to provide a human-understandable scale.
Tephra volume isn't the only factor. The sulfur dioxide (SO₂) content is critical. Eruptions rich in sulfur that reach the stratosphere create sulfate aerosols. These reflect solar radiation, causing global cooling. For example, El Chichón (VEI 5) had a greater climate impact than Mt. St. Helens (VEI 5) due to higher sulfur content.
The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped belt around the Pacific Ocean basin where many tectonic plates meet. It is home to about 75% of the world's active volcanoes and 90% of earthquakes, resulting from the subduction of oceanic plates beneath lighter continental plates.