Global Volcanism Program | Vesuvius

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Eruptive History

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Vesuvius

Start Date: 1913 Jul 5	Stop Date: 1944 Apr 4
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: 2.5 x 10⁸ m³ Tephra Volume: 6.0 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and upper flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Evacuation
Start Date: 1875 Dec 18	Stop Date: 1906 Apr 22
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4? Lava Volume: > 1.6 x 10⁸ m³ Tephra Volume: 1.3 x 10⁸ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and upper flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars) Evacuation
Start Date: 1874 Jan
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 1	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption (?) Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 1870 Dec	Stop Date: 1872 Apr 30
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: > 2 x 10⁷ m³ Tephra Volume: 1.7 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and upper NW and south flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1864 Feb 10	Stop Date: 1868 Nov 26
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2 Lava Volume: 6 x 10⁶ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and upper SE flank	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1855 Dec 19	Stop Date: 1861 Dec 31
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: 1.2 x 10⁸ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and SW flank (300-225 m)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.) Evacuation
Start Date: 1854 Dec 14	Stop Date: 1855 May 27
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: 1.7 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and upper N flank	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1841 Sep 20	Stop Date: 1850 Feb 16
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2 Lava Volume: > 2 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, upper N and E flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1835 Jan	Stop Date: 1839 Jan 3
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: 1.4 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, upper east and west flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1824 Jul 2	Stop Date: 1834 Sep 2
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: > 1.5 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, upper E and S flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1796 Jan	Stop Date: 1822 Nov 16
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3? Lava Volume: > 7 x 10⁶ m³ Tephra Volume: 7.5 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and upper flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1783 Aug 18	Stop Date: 1794 Jul 5
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3? Lava Volume: 2.4 x 10⁷ m³ Tephra Volume: 5.1 ± 5.0 x 10⁸ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and SW flank (550-300 m)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1770 Feb 15	Stop Date: 1779 Oct 4 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3? Lava Volume: > 5.2 x 10⁷ m³ Tephra Volume: 6.1 x 10⁶ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, N, NE, SE and E flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars) Evacuation
Start Date: 1764	Stop Date: 1767 Oct 27
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: > 1.1 x 10⁷ m³ Tephra Volume: 1.4 x 10⁶ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, upper SW, SE, and NNW flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1744 Nov (?)	Stop Date: 1761 Jan 6
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Lava Volume: > 9.8 x 10⁶ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, upper SE, E and lower S flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1742	Stop Date: 1743
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 1	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1732 Dec 25	Stop Date: 1737 Jun 4
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3? Lava Volume: > 1 x 10⁷ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and SW flank	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1724 Sep 4	Stop Date: 1730 Apr 1 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Tephra Volume: 1.2 x 10⁶ m³	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1708 Aug 14	Stop Date: 1723 Jul 8
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Tephra Volume: 8.0 x 10⁶ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, upper east and south flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1701 Jul 1	Stop Date: 1707 Aug 22
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Tephra Volume: 1.3 x 10⁶ m³ Area of Activity: Summit and SW flank	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1697 Sep 15	Stop Date: 1698 Jul
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1696 Jul 31	Stop Date: 1696 Aug 14 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1685 Oct 3	Stop Date: 1694 Apr 29
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 1682 Aug 12	Stop Date: 1682 Aug 22
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Tephra Volume: 5.6 x 10⁶ m³	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Fatalities
Start Date: 1654 Feb 25	Stop Date: 1680 Mar 28
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) (?) Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1637 Jul 1	Stop Date: 1652 Dec
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Mudflow(s) (lahars) Evacuation
Start Date: 1631 Dec 16	Stop Date: 1632 Jan 31 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 5? Tephra Volume: 1.1 x 10⁹ m³ Area of Activity: Summit, SW and S flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars) Tsunami (giant sea waves) Caldera collapse Evacuation
Start Date: 1570 (in or before)	Stop Date: 1572 ± 1 year
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 1?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Phreatic explosion(s)
Start Date: 1500	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Phreatic explosion(s)
Start Date: 1347
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption (?)
Start Date: 1270
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1150	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1139 Jun 1	Stop Date: 1139 Jun 9
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1073 ± 5 years
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption (?) Explosive eruption (?) Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 1049
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 1	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 1037 Jan 27	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Area of Activity: Summit and south flank (I Monticelli?)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1006 Dec 31 ± 365 days	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 999 AD	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Area of Activity: Summit and south flank (Fossamonaca)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 991 AD	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 968 AD Dec 1 ± 30 days	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4 Tephra Volume: 2.9 x 10⁸ m³	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.) (?)
Start Date: 900 AD ± 40 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Magnetism Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 0? Area of Activity: South and west (Tironi) flanks	Eruptive Characteristics: Radial fissure eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 860 AD ± 50 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Magnetism Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 0? Area of Activity: South flank	Eruptive Characteristics: Radial fissure eruption Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 787 AD Oct 15 ± 45 days	Stop Date: 788 AD Jan 15 ± 45 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3 Area of Activity: Summit and south flank	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) (?) Lava flow(s) Fatalities (?) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 685 AD Feb	Stop Date: 685 AD Mar
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4 Tephra Volume: 1 x 10⁸ m³	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) (?) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 536 AD	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars) (?)
Start Date: 512 AD Jul 8	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Damage (land, property, etc.)
Start Date: 505 AD Nov 9
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption (?) Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 472 AD Nov 5	Stop Date: 472 AD Nov 6 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 5 Tephra Volume: 1.4 x 10⁹ m³	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Radial fissure eruption (?) Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Lava flow(s) (?) Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 379 AD	Stop Date: 395 AD
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 303 AD
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption (?) Lava flow(s) (?)
Start Date: 222 AD	Stop Date: 235 AD
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 203 AD	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): P	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 172 AD	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 79 AD Oct 24 (?)	Stop Date: 79 AD Oct 28 ± 1 day
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 5? Tephra Volume: 3.3 ± 0.5 x 10⁹ m³ Area of Activity: (Pompeii eruption)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars) Tsunami (giant sea waves) Caldera collapse Evacuation
Start Date: 217 BC	Stop Date: 216 BC
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3? Area of Activity: (AP6 tephra layer)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 600 BC (in or before)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Anthropology Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption
Start Date: 880 BC ± 50 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4 Tephra Volume: 4.0 x 10⁸ m³ Area of Activity: (AP3 tephra layer)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1430 BC ± 300 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4 Tephra Volume: 1.7 x 10⁸ m³ Area of Activity: (AP2 tephra layer)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 1550 BC ± 75 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4 Tephra Volume: 1.5 x 10⁸ m³ Area of Activity: (AP1 tephra layer)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 2420 BC ± 40 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 5 Tephra Volume: 3.9 x 10⁹ m³ Area of Activity: (Avellino eruption)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Fatalities Damage (land, property, etc.) Mudflow(s) (lahars) Caldera collapse Evacuation
Start Date: 6940 BC ± 100 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 5 Tephra Volume: 2.8 ± 0.5 x 10⁹ m³ Area of Activity: (Mercato Pumice)	Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption Explosive eruption Pyroclastic flow(s) Mudflow(s) (lahars) Caldera collapse

Global Volcanism Program — Department of Mineral Sciences — National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

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