Hakusan is a stratovolcano located in Japan, standing at an elevation of 2,702 meters within a subduction zone and continental crust setting exceeding 25 kilometers in thickness. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program's official record, the volcano has a confirmed history of 20 eruptions spanning thousands of years, with the earliest recorded eruption starting around 7550 BCE and the latest recorded eruption ending on August 8, 1659 CE.
Eruption History and Chronology
The documented activity at Hakusan covers multiple millennia, utilizing various evidence methods ranging from calibrated radiocarbon dating and tephrochronology for prehistoric events to direct historical observations for later periods. The confirmed eruptions are distributed unevenly across centuries, including activity in prehistoric millennia such as the 76th, 71st, 66th, 50th, 39th, 36th, and 26th centuries BCE, as well as historical activity in the 2nd century BCE, 2nd century CE, 5th century CE, 8th century CE, 11th century CE, 13th century CE, 16th century CE, and 17th century CE.
Prehistoric eruption estimates carry varying degrees of uncertainty in their start dates—such as a 50-year uncertainty for the 7550 BCE event and a 500-year uncertainty for the 3550 BCE event—while later historical events feature more precise calendar dates. For instance, an eruption in the 8th century CE began in September 0706, and the final recorded eruption in the database started on April 21, 1659, and concluded on August 8, 1659, in the Midoriga-ike activity area.
Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) Distribution
The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) scale measures the relative size of explosive volcanic eruptions. Out of Hakusan's 20 confirmed eruptions, 10 have recorded VEI values in the official record. The largest recorded VEI for the volcano is 4.0, which was assigned to an eruption in the Kengamine activity area starting around 200 BCE. Other recorded events carry lower explosivity ratings, such as the VEI 2 rating documented for the 1659 eruption.
Frequently asked questions
What type of volcano is Hakusan and where is it located?
Hakusan is a stratovolcano located in Japan with an elevation of 2,702 meters.
How many eruptions have been recorded at Hakusan?
The official record documents 20 confirmed eruptions, ranging from approximately 7550 BCE to 1659 CE.
What is the largest recorded VEI for Hakusan?
The largest recorded Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) for Hakusan is 4.0, associated with an eruption around 200 BCE.
When was the last recorded eruption of Hakusan?
The latest recorded eruption in the official database took place between April 21 and August 8, 1659 CE.
Image credits
- Batholith — Wikimedia Commons source — Public domain
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.