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Mount Kusatsu-Shirane

Kusatsu-Shiranesan

Stratovolcano · Japan · 2165m

The summit of Kusatsu-Shiranesan contains three craters with the largest, Yugama, holding the turquoise lake shown here. Rafts of yellow sulfur float on the surface of the acidic lake. This 1977 view looks across the lake from the SW-most crater (Karagama) to the NE-most crater (Mizugama), located beyond the notch to the left. Small-to-moderate phreatic explosions have been recorded from all three craters since the 1800s.
The summit of Kusatsu-Shiranesan contains three craters with the largest, Yugama, holding the turquoise lake shown here. Rafts of yellow sulfur float on the surface of the acidic lake. This 1977 view looks across the lake from the SW-most crater (Karagama) to the NE-most crater (Mizugama), located beyond the notch to the left. Small-to-moderate phreatic explosions have been recorded from all three craters since the 1800s. · Photo: Photo by Lee Siebert, 1977 (Smithsonian Institution). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Japan
Region
Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Northeast Japan Volcanic Arc
Elevation
2165m
Coordinates
36.618, 138.528
Last eruption
2018
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

The Kusatsu-Shiranesan complex, located immediately north of Asama volcano, consists of a series of overlapping pyroclastic cones and three crater lakes. The andesitic-to-dacitic volcano was formed in three eruptive stages beginning in the early to mid-Pleistocene. The Pleistocene Oshi pyroclastic flow produced extensive welded tuffs and non-welded pumice that covers much of the E, S, and SW flanks. The latest eruptive stage began about 14,000 years ago. Historical eruptions have consisted of phreatic explosions from the acidic crater lakes or their margins. Fumaroles and hot springs that dot the flanks have strongly acidified many rivers draining from the volcano. The crater was the site of active sulfur mining for many years during the 19th and 20th centuries.

From Wikipedia

Mount Kusatsu-Shirane is a 2,165 m (7,103 ft) active stratovolcano in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan. It is called Kusatsu Shirane to differentiate it from the Mount Nikkō-Shirane on the other side of Gunma Prefecture. The summit of Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, located immediately north of Asama volcano, consists of a series of overlapping pyroclastic cones and three crater lakes. The largest of these is Yu-gama, an acidic emerald green lake with rafts of yellow sulfur sometimes seen floating on its surface.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
6550 BCE~6264 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 33980 BCE~3694 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21124 BCE~838 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4552 BCE~267 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 319~304 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21447~1732 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1732~2018 · 24 eruptions · max VEI 36550 BCE4551 BCE2266 BCE267 BCE1732

Detailed timeline

  1. 2018VEI 1Observed
    2018-01-23 – 2018-01-23
    Motoshiranesan
  2. 1989VEI 1Geological estimate
    1989-01-06 – 1989-01-06
    NW part of Yu-gama
  3. 1983VEI 1Observed
    1983-07-26 – 1983-12-21
    Yu-gama, Kara-gama
  4. 1982VEI 1Observed
    1982-10-26 – 1982-12-29
    Kara-gama, Yu-gama
  5. 1976VEI 1Observed
    1976-03-02 – 1976-03-02
    NE corner of Mizu-gama Crater
  6. 1958VEI 1Observed
    1958-12-31 – Ongoing
    Yu-gama
  7. 1942VEI 1Observed
    1942-02-02 – Ongoing
    Fissure east and south of Yu-gama
  8. 1941VEI 1Observed
    1941-01-19 – 1941-01-19
  9. 1940VEI 1Observed
    1940-04-07 – 1940-09-13
  10. 1939VEI 1Observed
    1939-02 – 1939-08-28
    Yu-gama
  11. 1938VEI 1Observed
    1938-07-17 – 1938-10-05
    Yu-gama
  12. 1937VEI 1Observed
    1937-11-27 – 1938-02-16
    Yu-gama
  13. 1934VEI 2Observed
    1934 – Ongoing
  14. 1933VEI ?Geological estimate
    1933 – Ongoing
  15. 1932VEI 3Observed
    1932-10-01 – 1932-11
    NE part of Yu-gama, SE outer rim
  16. 1927VEI 2Observed
    1927-12-29 – 1927-12-31
    N Yu-gama & S outer rim (in 1927, not 1928)
  17. 1925VEI 2Observed
    1925-01-22 – 1925-01-30
    Northern part of Yu-gama
  18. 1905VEI 2Observed
    1905-10 – 1905-10
    Yu-gama
  19. 1903VEI ?Geological estimate
    1903 – Ongoing
  20. 1902VEI 1Observed
    1902-07-15 – 1902-09-24
    North side of Yumi-ike
  21. 1900VEI 1Observed
    1900-10-01 – 1900-10-01
    NE part of Yu-gama
  22. 1897VEI 2Observed
    1897-07-08 – 1897-08-16
    NE part of Yu-gama
  23. 1882VEI 2Observed
    1882-08-06 – 1882-08-16
    Yu-gama, NE end of Kara-gama
  24. 1805VEI 2Observed
    1805 – Ongoing
    Yu-gama
  25. 1470 (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1470 – Ongoing
  26. 50VEI 2Geological estimate
    50 – Ongoing
    Yu-gama
  27. 550 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 550 – Ongoing
    Yu-gama
  28. 1120 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 1120 – Ongoing
    Moto-Shirane
  29. 3750 BCEVEI 2Geological estimate
    BCE 3750 – Ongoing
    Shirane
  30. 6270 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 6270 – Ongoing
  31. 6550 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 6550 – Ongoing
    Shirane

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.