Volcanoes, list/Komagatake

Komagatake, Japan 1640

• Mt. Komagatake erupted in 1640 causing one of the largest disasters.

• This eruption caused a debris avalanche, creating a horseshoe-shaped crater.

• The avalanche of debris entered the sea and caused a destructive and devastating tsunami, causing more than 700 people to drown.

• The tsunami was followed by a Plinain eruption.

• Plinian eruption is a volcanic eruption that includes a stream of gas and also ash that is violently ejected to a height of several miles.

• This eruption caused a tsunami that left behind deposits 8.5m above sea level, which was 40 km away from the mountain.

• Mt. Komagatake’s summit collapse due to a sector breakdown.

• Komagatake erupted out pyroclastic material such as pumice, a porus or spongy form of volcanic glass providing proof that is also a explosive volcano.

• It is a composite volcano because it has broad bases and sides that get steeper towards the summit.

• The formation of Mt. Komagatake took place in the late Pleistocene but has changed over various eruptions.

• Pleistocene is the earlier period of the Quaternary (occurring in sets of four or consisting of four parts) or the corresponding series of rocks.

References

• http://Baconsvolcanos.wikispaces.com/komagatake+Eric

• http://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/36728/1/21_2_p183-195.pdf

• http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/komagatake

• http://www.aist.go.jp/GSJ/dEG/sVOLC/koma-le.html

• http://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/osumi/sivsc/home/english/image/04hokkaidokomagatake004.jpg

• http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0805-02=

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