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Benbow

Ambrym

Shield volcano · Vanuatu · 1334m

The steep-walled craters of the Marum cone complex at the summit of Ambrym volcano, seen from the east. Ambrym contains a 12-km-wide caldera and is one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebrides arc. A thick pyroclastic sequence, initially dacitic, then basaltic, overlies lava flows of a pre-caldera shield volcano. Post-caldera eruptions, primarily from Marum and Benbow cones, have partially filled the caldera floor and produced lava flows that ponded on the caldera floor or overflowed through gaps in the caldera rim.
The steep-walled craters of the Marum cone complex at the summit of Ambrym volcano, seen from the east. Ambrym contains a 12-km-wide caldera and is one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebrides arc. A thick pyroclastic sequence, initially dacitic, then basaltic, overlies lava flows of a pre-caldera shield volcano. Post-caldera eruptions, primarily from Marum and Benbow cones, have partially filled the caldera floor and produced lava flows that ponded on the caldera floor or overflowed through gaps in the caldera rim. · Photo: Photo by Karoly Nemeth, 2005 (Massey University). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Shield volcano
Country
Vanuatu
Region
Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Vanuatu Volcanic Arc
Elevation
1334m
Coordinates
-16.250, 168.120
Last eruption
2024
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Intermediate crust (15-25 km)
Landform
Shield
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

Ambrym is a large basaltic volcano with a 12-km-wide caldera formed during a major Plinian eruption with dacitic pyroclastic flows about 1,900 years ago. A thick, almost exclusively pyroclastic sequence, initially dacitic then basaltic, overlies lava flows of a pre-caldera shield volcano. Post-caldera eruptions, primarily from Marum and Benbow cones, have partially filled the caldera floor and produced lava flows that ponded on the floor or overflowed through gaps in the caldera rim. Post-caldera eruptions have also formed a series of scoria cones and maars along a fissure system oriented ENE-WSW. Eruptions have been frequently reported since 1774, though mostly limited to extra-caldera eruptions that would have affected local populations. Since 1950 observations of eruptive activity from cones within the caldera or from flank vents have occurred almost yearly.

From Wikipedia

Ambrym is a volcanic island in Malampa Province in the archipelago of Vanuatu. It is located near the center of the archipelago of Vanuatu, and also hosts one of the most active volcanoes in the world, which includes lava lakes in two craters near the summit. It is currently the least populous island in the country.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
50~247 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 61629~1827 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 21827~2024 · 57 eruptions · max VEI 450445103714321827

Detailed timeline

  1. 2024VEI 0Observed
    2024-01-13 – 2024-01-16
  2. 2024VEI 0Observed
    2024-10-31 – 2024-11-02
  3. 2022VEI 1Observed
    2022-01-25 – 2022-02-02
    Benbow Crater
  4. 2008VEI 2Observed
    2008-05-23 – 2018-12-17
    Benbow and Marum
  5. 2006VEI 2Observed
    2006-11-08 – 2007-12-27
    Marum (Mbwelesu)
  6. 1996VEI 1Observed
    1996-06-16 – 2005-08-16
    Benbow, Marum, Niri Mbelesu, Mbwelesu
  7. 1994VEI 1Observed
    1994-12-16 – Ongoing
    Benbow and Marum
  8. 1990VEI 2Observed
    1990-09-16 – 1991-07-16
    Mbwelesu, Niri Mbwelesu, Niri Taten
  9. 1989VEI 2Observed
    1989-04-24 – 1989-12-23
    Marum, Benbow, Niri Mbwelesu Taten
  10. 1988VEI 3Observed
    1988-02-12 – 1988-08-23
    Benbow, Mbwelesu, Marum, Niri Taten
  11. 1986VEI 2Observed
    1986-11-13 – 1986-11-19
    New cone 3 km east of Marum
  12. 1984VEI 2Observed
    1984-07-02 – 1986-03-08
  13. 1983VEI 2Observed
    1983-07-02 – Ongoing
    Marum
  14. 1981VEI 2Observed
    1981-02-20 – 1981-09-30
    Benbow, Marum
  15. 1980VEI 3Observed
    1980-05-16 – 1980-08-18
    Marum
  16. 1979VEI 2Observed
    1979-01-26 – 1979-02-18
    Benbow
  17. 1979VEI 2Observed
    1979-06-06 – 1979-09-16
    Benbow, Marum
  18. 1977VEI 2Observed
    1977-01-20 – 1977-01-28
  19. 1977VEI 2Observed
    1977-08-16 – 1977-09-30
  20. 1973VEI 3Observed
    1973-04-15 – 1976-10-14
    Benbow, Mbuelesu, Marum
  21. 1972VEI 3Observed
    1972-04-15 – 1972-08-15
    Benbow, Marum
  22. 1971VEI 2Observed
    1971-02-03 – 1971-11-05
    Marum, Benbow
  23. 1967VEI 2Observed
    1967-07-16 – 1970-08-29
    Marum, Benbow, Mbuelesu
  24. 1964VEI 2Observed
    1964-02-16 – 1966-09-16
    Marum, Benbow
  25. 1963VEI 2Observed
    1963-08-30 – 1963-09-23
    Benbow, Marum
  26. 1961VEI 3Observed
    1961-08-15 – 1963-04-03
    Benbow, Marum, south of Marum
  27. 1960VEI 1Observed
    1960-09-17 – Ongoing
    Mbuelesu, Benbow, near Marum
  28. 1959VEI 2Observed
    1959-04-16 – Ongoing
    Marum
  29. 1958VEI 2Observed
    1958-11-18 – Ongoing
    Benbow and Marum
  30. 1957VEI 1Observed
    1957-08-26 – 1957-10-16
    Benbow, Marum
  31. 1955VEI 2Observed
    1955-07-02 – Ongoing
    Benbow
  32. 1954VEI 2Observed
    1954-07-02 – Ongoing
    Benbow
  33. 1953VEI 2Observed
    1953-05-16 – 1953-10-13
    Benbow, Mbuelesu, S flank of Benbow
  34. 1952VEI 2Observed
    1952-08-10 – 1952-12-26
    Benbow
  35. 1950VEI 4Observed
    1950-12-06 – 1951-11-25
    Benbow
  36. 1942VEI 2Observed
    1942-06-06 – Ongoing
    NW flank of Benbow
  37. 1938VEI 2Observed
    1938 – Ongoing
    Benbow, Marum ?
  38. 1937VEI 2Observed
    1937-03-27 – 1937-04
    Benbow and west flank
  39. 1935VEI 2Observed
    1935-09 – 1936-01
    Benbow
  40. 1929VEI 2Observed
    1929-06-28 – 1929-07-01
    Benbow, west flank, Marum
  41. 1927VEI ?Observed
    1927-01-27 – 1927-01-27
  42. 1915VEI 2Observed
    1915-10-20 – Ongoing
    Marum, crater at SE point
  43. 1913VEI 3Observed
    1913-10-14 – 1914
    Benbow, west flank, Marum
  44. 1912VEI ?Observed
    1912 – Ongoing
    Marum ?, west flank ?
  45. 1910VEI 0Observed
    1910 – Ongoing
    Base of Marum
  46. 1909VEI 2Observed
    1909-07-28 – Ongoing
  47. 1908VEI 2Observed
    1908 – Ongoing
  48. 1898VEI 1Observed
    1898-03-26 – Ongoing
  49. 1894VEI 3Observed
    1894-10-15 – 1895-02-10
    Benbow and west flank
  50. 1888VEI 2Observed
    1888-02-24 – 1888-04
    SE flank (6 km from SE Point), Marum
  51. 1886VEI 2Observed
    1886-07 – Ongoing
  52. 1884VEI 2Observed
    1884 – Ongoing
    Marum and/or Benbow
  53. 1883VEI 2Observed
    1883 – Ongoing
    Marum
  54. 1875VEI ?Observed
    1875-05-03 – Ongoing
  55. 1871VEI 2Observed
    1871 – Ongoing
  56. 1870VEI ?Geological estimate
    1870 – Ongoing
  57. 1863VEI 2Observed
    1863 – 1864
  58. 1820VEI ?Observed
    1820 – Ongoing
    West flank
  59. 1774VEI 2Observed
    1774-07-02 – Ongoing
  60. 50 (±100 yrs)VEI 6Geological estimate
    50 – Ongoing

External links

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