Calbuco is a stratovolcano located in Chile at a tectonic subduction zone over continental crust exceeding 25 kilometers in thickness. Standing at an elevation of 1,974 meters, the volcano has a recorded history spanning 36 confirmed eruptions from its earliest recorded year of 8460 BCE up to 2015.
Overview of Eruption History and VEI Metrics
According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program records, Calbuco's confirmed eruptions feature a largest recorded Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 5.0. Out of the 36 confirmed eruptions in the official record, 18 eruptions have documented VEI observations.
The historical record captures activity across multiple millennia, distributed from prehistoric events dated via isotopic and tephrochronology methods through to modern documented observations at the summit crater.
Chronological Highlights and Representative Records
The structured eruption record encompasses a wide temporal range with varying degrees of dating uncertainty:
- 8460 BCE (± 155 years): A confirmed eruption with a VEI of 5.0, determined via calibrated 14C isotopic evidence.
- 6760 BCE (± 825 years): A confirmed VEI 5.0 eruption identified through tephrochronology correlation.
- 5820 BCE (± 880 years): A confirmed VEI 4.0 eruption identified through tephrochronology correlation.
- 520 CE (± 200 years): A confirmed eruption recorded using uncalibrated 14C isotopic evidence.
- April 22, 2015 to May 26, 2015: A confirmed eruption originating from the summit crater with a VEI of 4.0, documented through reported observations.
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.