The 1815 eruption of Tambora was so violent it caused a ‘year without a summer’ across the Northern Hemisphere. Each VEI step represents a 10x bigger eruption.
How to Play: Guess if the eruption on the right had a HIGHER or LOWER VEI than the one on the left.
Name A
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Top 10 Largest Volcanic Eruptions (by VEI)
Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) is a logarithmic scale from 0 to 8, similar to magnitude scales for earthquakes. Each step is roughly 10x more material ejected.
| # | Name | VEI | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yellowstone (640,000 BP) | 8 | VEI |
| 2 | Toba (74,000 BP) | 8 | VEI |
| 3 | Tambora (1815) | 7 | VEI |
| 4 | Minoan/Thera (1620 BC) | 7 | VEI |
| 5 | Krakatoa (1883) | 6 | VEI |
| 6 | Pinatubo (1991) | 6 | VEI |
| 7 | Novarupta (1912) | 6 | VEI |
| 8 | Hunga Tonga (2022) | 6 | VEI |
| 9 | Vesuvius (79 AD) | 5 | VEI |
| 10 | Mount St. Helens (1980) | 5 | VEI |
How VEI Is Calculated
VEI uses ejected volume of tephra (volcanic ash and rock): VEI 0 = <0.0001 km³, VEI 8 = >1000 km³. Each step is roughly 10x larger.
VEI 8 events are ‘super-eruptions’ — Yellowstone and Toba being the most recent. The Toba eruption 74,000 years ago may have caused a global volcanic winter and reduced human populations to a few thousand.
Tambora 1815 (VEI 7) caused the ‘Year Without a Summer’ in 1816: snow fell in June across New England. Crop failures killed tens of thousands and inspired Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein during a gloomy holiday in Switzerland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest volcanic eruption ever?
Yellowstone caldera ~640,000 years ago and Toba (Indonesia) ~74,000 years ago, both VEI 8.
Could a VEI 8 happen again?
Eventually yes. Yellowstone’s interval is ~600,000-800,000 years. Geology suggests we’re due, but no early signs.
Why is Hunga Tonga 2022 listed at 6?
The 2022 underwater eruption ejected enormous water vapor and tephra. Some estimates rate it VEI 5.7-6.0.
How does VEI compare to earthquakes?
Both are logarithmic scales. But VEI counts ejected volume; earthquake magnitude counts energy. Direct comparison is tricky.
Note: VEI ratings per Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program.
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