Volcanoes, list/Asama

Asama volcano is located at the border of the Izu-Marianas and NE Japan volcanic arcs. The modern cone of Maekake-yama forms the summit of the volcano and is facing east of the horseshoe-shaped remnant of an older andesitic volcano, Kurofu-yama, which was destroyed by a late-Pleistocene landslide about 20,000 years before present (BP). Growth of a dacitic shield volcano was accompanied by pumiceous pyroclastic flows, the largest of which occurred about 14,000-11,000 years BP, and by growth of the Ko-Asama-yama lava dome on the east flank. Maekake-yama, capped by the Kama-yama pyroclastic cone that forms the present summit of the volcano, is probably only a few thousand years old and has an historical record dating back at least to the 11th century AD. Maekake-yama has had several major plinian eruptions, the last two of which occurred in 1108 (Asama's largest Holocene eruption) and 1783 AD.

mount Asama eruption

1783 Volcanic Eruption

The Asama, Japan Volcanic eruption in 1783 started on 9th May 1783. The eruption produced andesitic pumice falls, pyroclastic flows, lava flows, and built a cone. The climactic eruption began on the night of 4th August and lasted for 15 hours, when there were pumice fall and pyroclastic flows. The eruption killed 1,400 people due to all the destruction.

Other Eruptions

Asama Volcano eruptions:2015,2009, 2008, 2004, 2003, 1990, 1983, 1982, 1982, 1973, 1965, 1961, 1958-59, 1953-55, 1952, 1952, 1950-51, 1949, 1947, 1946, 1944-45, 1938-42, 1935-37, 1934, 1934, 1933, 1931-32, 1930, 1929, 1929, 1927-28, 1924, 1922, 1920-21, 1919, 1918(?), 1917, 1916, 1915, 1914, 1909-14, 1908, 1908, 1907, 1907, 1906, 1905(?), 1904, 1903, 1902, 1902, 1900-01, 1899, 1899, 1894, 1889, 1879, 1878(?), 1875, 1869, 1815, 1803, 1803, 1783, 1779(?), 1777, 1776, 1769, 1762, 1755, 1754, 1733, 1732, 1731, 1729, 1729, 1728, 1723, 1723, 1722, 1721, 1720, 1719, 1718, 1717, 1711, 1710, 1708-09, 1706, 1704, 1703, 1669, 1661, 1661, 1660, 1659, 1658, 1657, 1656, 1655, 1653, 1652, 1651, 1650(?), 1649, 1648, 1648, 1647, 1645, 1644, 1609, 1605, 1604, 1600, 1598, 1597, 1596, 1596, 1595(?), 1591, 1590, 1532, 1528, 1527, 1518, 1427(?), 1281, 1108, 887, 685

Volcano Facts

Asama volcano is the most active volcano of Honshu and one of the volcanoes with the longest recorded history of documented eruptions. It is located 130 km from Tokyo in central Honshu, overlooking the resort town of Karuizawa.Asama's activity is typically explosive, including frequent strombolian to vulcanian activity. It has had several major eruptions, including 2 plinian eruptions in 1108 and 1783 AD. Plinian eruptions are known by columns of gas and volcanic ash extending high into the stratosphere, a high layer of the atmosphere. The key characteristics are ejection of large amount of pumice and very powerful continuous gas blast eruptions. It's almost like a fountain of gas spraying into the stratosphere.

Plinian Eruption

Asama Japan Volcano

This volcano eruption was indeed one of the strongest.It caused so much destruction many shops,store,and hot springs nearby were quickly put to cancellation. The damage took months to repair. This is a volcano eruption many of the japanese will remember many ashes drifted as far as Tokyo, about 140 km (90 miles) to the southeast.This eruption is known for a huge eruption in 1783 that caused widespread damage and killed about 1,500 people. No one lived from the blast that were 2.5 miles away from the eruption.

References

• http://www.therafoundation.org/articles/volcanology/the1783eruptionofasamavolcanojapan
• http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1994/94GL02481.shtml
• http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/mount-asama-volcano-erupts-as-predicted/7225
• http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/02/content_10750391.htm
• http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_asia/asama_yama.html