Khangar (Russia): Recorded Eruptions and Historical Activity

Khangar is a stratovolcano located in Russia, standing at an elevation of 1,967 meters within a subduction zone and continental crust setting greater than 25 kilometers. The Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program records a total of 10 confirmed eruptions for the volcano, spanning a timeline from its earliest recorded eruption in 9500 BCE up to its latest recorded activity in 1500 CE.

Eruption History and Chronology

The confirmed eruption record for Khangar is established through scientific evidence methods, notably calibrated radiocarbon (14C) dating, which provides chronological markers for prehistoric and historical activity. The record includes 10 confirmed eruptions distributed across various centuries, featuring events ranging from the 9550th century BCE down to the 15th century CE.

Among the documented events in the official record are:

• 9500 BCE: A confirmed eruption with an estimated start year uncertainty of 300 years, assigned a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4.0.
• 7100 BCE: A confirmed eruption with a start year uncertainty of 100 years.
• 5700 BCE: A confirmed eruption with a start year uncertainty of 16 years, associated with the largest recorded VEI of 6.0 for this volcano.
• 350 BCE: A confirmed eruption with a start year uncertainty of 30 years.
• 1500 CE: The latest recorded eruption in the official database, carrying a start year uncertainty of 40 years.

Volcanic Characteristics and Scale

Khangar is classified as a stratovolcano—a conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Throughout its recorded history, eruptions reached varying intensities on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), a relative scale that describes the size of explosive volcanic eruptions. The largest recorded VEI for Khangar reached 6.0, an event documented during the 5700 BCE eruption. The official record includes VEI observations for 2 of its confirmed eruptions, while other events in the catalog reflect the available isotopic and geological data limitations.