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Mount Asama

Asamayama

Complex volcano · Japan · 2568m

The Onioshidashi lava flow on the N flank of Asamayama volcano was erupted at the end of the last major eruption in 1783. Asamayama has a historical record dating back more than 1,300 years. The Maekakeyama summit in the center was constructed within an open crater whose rim appears on the horizon to the far-right
The Onioshidashi lava flow on the N flank of Asamayama volcano was erupted at the end of the last major eruption in 1783. Asamayama has a historical record dating back more than 1,300 years. The Maekakeyama summit in the center was constructed within an open crater whose rim appears on the horizon to the far-right · Photo: Photo by Richard Fiske, 1961 (Smithsonian Institution). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Complex volcano
Country
Japan
Region
Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Northeast Japan Volcanic Arc
Elevation
2568m
Coordinates
36.406, 138.523
Last eruption
2019
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

Asamayama, Honshu's most active volcano, overlooks the resort town of Karuizawa, 140 km NW of Tokyo. The volcano is located at the junction of the Izu-Marianas and NE Japan volcanic arcs. The modern Maekake cone forms the summit and is situated east of the remnant of an older andesitic volcano, Kurofuyama, which was destroyed by a late-Pleistocene landslide about 20,000 years before present (BP). Growth of a dacitic shield volcano was accompanied by pumiceous pyroclastic flows, the largest of which occurred about 14,000-11,000 BP, and by growth of the Ko-Asamayama lava dome on the east flank. Maekake, capped by the Kamayama pyroclastic cone that forms the present summit, is probably only a few thousand years old and has observed activity dating back at least to the 11th century CE. Maekake has had several major Plinian eruptions, the last two of which occurred in 1108 (Asamayama's largest Holocene eruption) and 1783 CE.

From Wikipedia

Mount Asama is an active stratovolcano in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The volcano is the most active on Honshū. The Japan Meteorological Agency classifies Mount Asama as rank A. It stands 2,568 metres (8,425 ft) above sea level on the border of Gunma and Nagano prefectures. It is included in 100 Famous Japanese Mountains.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
7200 BCE~6893 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?6585 BCE~6278 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4742 BCE~4434 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4127 BCE~3820 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?3512 BCE~3205 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 32590 BCE~2283 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 41361 BCE~1054 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?175~483 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4483~790 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31097~1404 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 51404~1712 · 45 eruptions · max VEI 31712~2019 · 88 eruptions · max VEI 47200 BCE5049 BCE2590 BCE439 BCE1712

Detailed timeline

  1. 2019VEI 2Observed
    2019-08-07 – 2019-08-25
  2. 2015VEI 1Observed
    2015-06-16 – 2015-06-19
    Summit crater
  3. 2009VEI 2Observed
    2009-01-21 – 2009-05-02
  4. 2008VEI 1Observed
    2008-08-10 – 2008-08-14
  5. 2004VEI 2Observed
    2004-09-01 – 2004-12-09
  6. 2003VEI 1Observed
    2003-02-06 – 2003-04-18
  7. 1990VEI 2Observed
    1990-07-20 – 1990-07-20
  8. 1983VEI 2Observed
    1983-04-08 – 1983-04-08
  9. 1982VEI 2Observed
    1982-04-26 – 1982-04-26
  10. 1982VEI 1Observed
    1982-10-02 – 1982-10-02
  11. 1973VEI 2Observed
    1973-02-01 – 1973-05-24
  12. 1965VEI 2Observed
    1965-05-23 – 1965-05-23
  13. 1961VEI 2Observed
    1961-08-18 – 1961-11-16
  14. 1958VEI 2Observed
    1958-10-03 – 1959-08-26
  15. 1953VEI 3Observed
    1953-12-27 – 1955-08-02
  16. 1952VEI 1Geological estimate
    1952-01-16 – 1952-01-16
  17. 1952VEI 2Observed
    1952-06-07 – 1952-06-14
  18. 1950VEI 1Observed
    1950-09-23 – 1951-06-17
  19. 1949VEI 2Observed
    1949-03-10 – 1949-10-24
  20. 1947VEI 1Observed
    1947-06 – 1947-08-14
    E corner of crater bottom
  21. 1946VEI 2Observed
    1946-10-29 – 1946-10-30
  22. 1944VEI 2Observed
    1944-01 – 1945-11
  23. 1938VEI 1Observed
    1938-03-25 – 1942-12
  24. 1934VEI 1Observed
    1934-01-09 – 1934-02-11
  25. 1934VEI 1Observed
    1934-06 – 1934-06
  26. 1934VEI 3Observed
    1934-11-13 – 1937-07
  27. 1933VEI 2Observed
    1933-01-09 – 1933-08-03
  28. 1931VEI 3Observed
    1931-03-31 – 1932-09-21
  29. 1930VEI 2Observed
    1930-04-18 – 1930-10-17
  30. 1929VEI 2Observed
    1929-01-22 – 1929-04-05
  31. 1929VEI 2Observed
    1929-09-18 – 1929-11-15
  32. 1927VEI 2Observed
    1927-03 – 1928-07-25
  33. 1924VEI 2Observed
    1924-09-07 – 1924-09-29
  34. 1920VEI 2Observed
    1920-12-06 – 1922-04-05
  35. 1919VEI 2Observed
    1919-03-14 – 1919-08-27
  36. 1918VEI ?Geological estimate
    1918 – Ongoing
  37. 1917VEI 1Observed
    1917-05-03 – 1917-07-31
  38. 1916VEI 1Observed
    1916-05-12 – 1916-10-02
  39. 1915VEI 1Observed
    1915-05-13 – 1915-08-27
  40. 1914VEI 2Observed
    1914-11-12 – 1914-12-16
  41. 1909VEI 1Observed
    1909-01-29 – 1914-06-24
  42. 1908VEI 2Observed
    1908-02-13 – 1908-02-19
  43. 1908VEI 2Observed
    1908-08-05 – 1908-09-23
  44. 1907VEI 2Observed
    1907-01-18 – 1907-03-28
  45. 1907VEI 2Observed
    1907-08-24 – 1907-08-24
  46. 1906VEI 2Observed
    1906-04-06 – 1906-04-06
  47. 1905VEI ?Geological estimate
    1905 – Ongoing
  48. 1904VEI 2Observed
    1904-08-04 – 1904-08-04
  49. 1903VEI 2Geological estimate
    1903-05-28 – 1903-06-30
  50. 1902VEI 2Observed
    1902-02-07 – 1902-02-07
  51. 1902VEI 2Observed
    1902-08-05 – 1902-08-20
  52. 1900VEI 2Observed
    1900-01-22 – 1901-10
  53. 1899VEI 2Observed
    1899-03-11 – Ongoing
  54. 1899VEI 2Observed
    1899-07-10 – 1899-08-07
  55. 1894VEI 2Observed
    1894-04-06 – 1894-06-14
  56. 1892VEI ?Geological estimate
    1892 – Ongoing
  57. 1891VEI ?Observed
    1891-10 – 1891-11
  58. 1889VEI 2Observed
    1889-12-24 – Ongoing
  59. 1879VEI 2Observed
    1879-09-27 – 1879-09-28
  60. 1878VEI 2Geological estimate
    1878 – Ongoing
  61. 1875VEI 2Observed
    1875-06-14 – Ongoing
  62. 1869VEI 2Observed
    1869-05 – 1869-10-23
  63. 1815VEI 3Observed
    1815-02-28 – Ongoing
  64. 1803VEI 2Observed
    1803-07-04 – Ongoing
  65. 1803VEI 2Observed
    1803-11-07 – 1803-11-21
  66. 1783VEI 4Observed
    1783-05-09 – 1783-08-05
  67. 1779VEI ?Geological estimate
    1779-09 – Ongoing
  68. 1777VEI 2Observed
    1777 – Ongoing
  69. 1776VEI 2Observed
    1776-09-05 – Ongoing
  70. 1769VEI ?Geological estimate
    1769-08-06 – Ongoing
    Volcano Uncertain
  71. 1762VEI 2Observed
    1762-04 – Ongoing
  72. 1755VEI 2Observed
    1755-07-05 – 1755-08-06
  73. 1754VEI 2Observed
    1754-08-07 – 1754-08-19
  74. 1752VEI 2Observed
    1752-09 – 1752-10
  75. 1733VEI 2Observed
    1733-07-30 – Ongoing
  76. 1732VEI 2Observed
    1732-07-30 – Ongoing
  77. 1731VEI 2Observed
    1731 – Ongoing
  78. 1729VEI 2Observed
    1729-02 – Ongoing
  79. 1729VEI 2Observed
    1729-11 – 1729-12
  80. 1728VEI 2Observed
    1728-11-10 – Ongoing
  81. 1723VEI 2Observed
    1723-08-20 – Ongoing
  82. 1722VEI 2Observed
    1722-11-18 – 1723-02-05
  83. 1721VEI 1Observed
    1721-06-22 – Ongoing
  84. 1720VEI 2Observed
    1720-06-06 – Ongoing
  85. 1719VEI ?Geological estimate
    1719-06-10 – 1719-06-11
    Volcano Uncertain
  86. 1718VEI 2Observed
    1718-09-26 – Ongoing
  87. 1717VEI 2Observed
    1717-09-23 – Ongoing
  88. 1713VEI 2Observed
    1713-06-29 – Ongoing
  89. 1711VEI 2Observed
    1711-04-13 – Ongoing
  90. 1710VEI 2Observed
    1710-03-25 – 1710-04-13
  91. 1708VEI 2Observed
    1708-12-29 – 1709-01-08
  92. 1706VEI 2Observed
    1706-11-20 – Ongoing
  93. 1704VEI 2Observed
    1704-02-05 – 1704-02-09
  94. 1703VEI 2Observed
    1703 – Ongoing
  95. 1695VEI 2Observed
    1695-06-23 – Ongoing
  96. 1669VEI 2Observed
    1669-04-05 – 1669-04-15
  97. 1661VEI 2Observed
    1661-04-14 – 1661-04-27
  98. 1661VEI 2Observed
    1661-10-21 – Ongoing
  99. 1660VEI 2Observed
    1660-04-08 – Ongoing
  100. 1659VEI 2Observed
    1659-07-24 – Ongoing
  101. 1658VEI 2Observed
    1658-07-24 – Ongoing
  102. 1657VEI 2Observed
    1657-11-25 – Ongoing
  103. 1656VEI 2Observed
    1656-12-10 – Ongoing
  104. 1655VEI 2Observed
    1655-11-25 – Ongoing
  105. 1653VEI 2Geological estimate
    1653 – 1654
  106. 1652VEI 2Observed
    1652-04-12 – Ongoing
  107. 1651VEI 2Observed
    1651-04-12 – Ongoing
  108. 1650VEI 2Geological estimate
    1650-07-02 – Ongoing
  109. 1649VEI 2Observed
    1649-08-17 – 1649-08-18
  110. 1648VEI 2Observed
    1648-03-20 – Ongoing
  111. 1648VEI 2Observed
    1648-08-30 – Ongoing
  112. 1647VEI 2Observed
    1647-02-18 – 1647-03-25
  113. 1645VEI 2Observed
    1645-02-24 – 1645-05-21
  114. 1644VEI 2Observed
    1644-02-20 – Ongoing
  115. 1609VEI 2Observed
    1609-04-05 – Ongoing
  116. 1605VEI 2Observed
    1605-12 – 1606-02
  117. 1604VEI 2Geological estimate
    1604 – Ongoing
  118. 1600VEI 3Observed
    1600-01-14 – 1600-01-28
  119. 1598VEI 2Observed
    1598-05-13 – Ongoing
  120. 1597VEI 2Observed
    1597-04-17 – Ongoing
  121. 1596VEI 3Observed
    1596-05-01 – 1596-09
  122. 1595VEI 2Observed
    1595-06-01 – Ongoing
  123. 1591VEI 2Observed
    1591-04-15 – Ongoing
  124. 1591VEI 3Observed
    1591-11-29 – Ongoing
  125. 1590VEI 2Observed
    1590-04-15 – Ongoing
  126. 1582VEI 2Observed
    1582-02-16 – Ongoing
  127. 1582VEI 2Observed
    1582-07-03 – Ongoing
  128. 1534VEI ?Geological estimate
    1534 – Ongoing
  129. 1532VEI ?Geological estimate
    1532-01-14 – Ongoing
  130. 1528VEI 2Observed
    1528 – Ongoing
  131. 1527VEI 2Observed
    1527-05 – Ongoing
  132. 1518VEI ?Geological estimate
    1518 – Ongoing
  133. 1427VEI ?Geological estimate
    1427-07-07 – Ongoing
  134. 1281VEI 3Geological estimate
    1281-07-03 – Ongoing
  135. 1128VEI ?Geological estimate
    1128 – Ongoing
  136. 1108VEI 5Observed
    1108-08-29 – 1108-10
  137. 685VEI 3Geological estimate
    685-04 – Ongoing
    Volcano Uncertain
  138. 350 (±10 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    350-11-15 – Ongoing
  139. 1130 BCE (±1430 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1130 – Ongoing
  140. 2550 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 2550 – Ongoing
  141. 3450 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 3450 – Ongoing
  142. 4100 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 4100 – Ongoing
  143. 4700 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 4700 – Ongoing
  144. 6400 BCE (±1050 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 6400 – Ongoing
  145. 7200 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 7200 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.