The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): An estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism

Abstract

Knowledge of the frequencies of highly explosive, moderately explosive, and nonexplosive eruptions would be useful in a variety of volcano studies. Historical records are generally incomplete, however, and contain very little quantitative data from which explosive magnitude can be estimated. Only the largest eruptions have a complete record back to the early 19th Century; other important explosive events went unrecorded prior to about 1960. Only a handful of the very biggest eruptions are represented in the geologic record, so it will be impossible to augment historical records post facto. A composite estimate of the magnitude of past explosive eruptions, termed the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), is proposed as a semiquantitative compromise between poor data and the need in various disciplines to evaluate the record of past volcanism. The VEI has been assigned to over 8000 historic and prehistoric eruptions, and a complete list is available in a companion document]. The problem also arises in studies of freqency of various kinds of volcanic events, for use both in understanding fundamental controls of volcanism and in quantifying volcanic hazards. To be useful, studies of historic volcanism need: (1) up-to-date, readily manageable historical information about eruptions, including dates and the nature of activity, and (2) a basis for comparing the scale or magnitude of each type of activity. We describe here a simple scheme for estimating explosive magnitude, with notes on its use and limitations. PREVIOUS WORK Compilations of Volcanological Information Information about historic eruptions is scattered widelythroughout the historical and geological literature. The Catalogue of Active Volcanoes and Solfatara Areas of the World (IAVCEI, Rome, Italy, 1950-1975) is an exceptionally valuable compilation of such information in a text and table format. ) provide valuable supplements to the Catalogue also in a text and table format. The most recent addition to these sources, and one which includes information from the sources mentioned above plus a comprehensive study of other literature, is another Smithsonian project, Volcanoes of the World, a regional directory, gazetteer, and chronology of volcanism in the last 10,000 years [Simkin et al., 1981]. This last source contains a more complete chronology than any previous compilation and is also in a flexible, computer-based format which allows for easy data retrieval. Compilations of Volcanic Eruption Records for the Purpose of Comparison With Climate RecordsLamb [1970, 1977] used atmospheric opacity, temperature records, and volcanological information to estimate the amount of dust introduced in to the upper atmosphere by each of approximately 250 eruptions. When determined from atmospheric opacity, his ratio of dust veil index/maximum extent (dvi/Emax) is a realistically direct measure of the dust injection. Unfortunately, dvi can only be evaluated in this way for the relatively small number of eruptions identifiable in atmospheric records. Early eruptions, small eru...

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“…In summary, volumetric eruption magnitudes (M v 5 log 10 (V) -4, where V (m 3 ) represent tephra volume, (Pyle, 1995) (equivalent to the VEI index of Newhall & Self, 1982), as derived from first-order volume estimates, generally range from M v 5 6.4-7.7 for tephras that correlate with Japan eruptions, whereas our rough estimates of eruptive products originating in the four different IBM regions range between M v 5 5.7 and 6.6. The distal ash layers in the IBM forearc sediments therefore help us to constrain the size of some IBM and Japan eruptions, increase the previous volume and magnitude estimates for known Japan eruptions (Table 1), and demonstrate how important distal deposits are for the characterization of large explosive eruptions.…”

Mass budget partitioning during explosive eruptions: insights from the 2006 paroxysm of Tungurahua volcano, Ecuador

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