Planchon-Peteroa is a stratovolcano complex situated in Chile at an elevation of 3,977 meters, operating within a subduction zone and continental crust setting more than 25 kilometers thick. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, the volcano has a recorded history of 21 confirmed eruptions spanning from 5080 BCE through the 21st century CE.
Overview of Recorded Eruptions
The official record documents 21 confirmed eruptions with Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) values assigned across the timeline. The earliest recorded event in the collection dates back to 5080 BCE (with a start year uncertainty of 75 years), determined via uncalibrated radiocarbon isotopic evidence. Later events rely on direct reported observations and satellite visual monitoring.
Among the recorded events, the largest reaches a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4.0. This occurred during an eruption at Peteroa—located 2 kilometers south of the Planchón summit—starting on December 3, 1762. Other historical activity includes an eruption in July 1835 with a VEI of 2.0, and a multi-week event spanning from April 16, 1937, to May 5, 1937, south of the 1889–94 crater with a VEI of 2.0. The latest confirmed eruption in the record began on October 25, 2025, and concluded on December 4, 2025, with a VEI of 2.0, observed via satellite imagery.
Chronological Distribution by Century
Confirmed eruptions at Planchon-Peteroa are distributed across multiple centuries, reflecting varying intervals of recorded activity:
- 51st century BCE: 1 eruption
- 9th century CE: 1 eruption
- 17th century CE: 1 eruption
- 18th century CE: 2 eruptions
- 19th century CE: 5 eruptions
- 20th century CE: 7 eruptions
- 21st century CE: 4 eruptions
This historical chronology highlights that while ancient prehistoric activity is captured via isotopic methods, the majority of documented eruptions cluster within the 19th and 20th centuries CE, alongside entries in the 21st century CE.
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.