Fernandina (Ecuador): Recorded Eruptions and Historical Activity

Fernandina is a shield volcano located in Ecuador, standing at an elevation of 1,476 meters in an oceanic crust rift zone setting. Official records from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program document a total of 33 confirmed eruptions spanning from the 10th century CE to the 21st century CE.

Eruption History and Chronology

The earliest recorded eruption in the official database dates back to 950 CE, with a start year uncertainty of 500 years, determined via cosmic ray exposure isotopic evidence. Historical and modern documentation shows a varied cadence of activity across the volcano's flanks and caldera walls.

For example, an eruption occurred on the east flank in November 1846. Later events include activity on the east-southeast flank in May 1968, followed by an explosive event on the west caldera wall in June and July 1968 that reached a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4.0. The most recent recorded activity in the provided dataset began on the southeast flank on March 2, 2024, and concluded on May 8, 2024, with a VEI of 1.0.

Distribution of Recorded Eruptions by Century

The confirmed eruption record is distributed unevenly across centuries, reflecting both the remote setting of the volcano and historical reporting capabilities:

• 10th century CE: 1 confirmed eruption
• 12th century CE: 1 confirmed eruption
• 16th century CE: 1 confirmed eruption
• 19th century CE: 7 confirmed eruptions
• 20th century CE: 17 confirmed eruptions
• 21st century CE: 6 confirmed eruptions

Out of the 33 total confirmed eruptions, 32 include an assigned Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) value, with 4.0 being the largest recorded VEI in the official record.