Well, now you know! - #3 What was the biggest ever recorded volcanic eruption? - this is definitely a hot topic!
Volcanoes have always been a topic that has fascinated me, and I'm sure a lot of you also. So, therefore it is todays subject for Well, now you know!
Just briefly for anyone who isn't quite sure or needs some clarification, what is a volcano and how they work.
A volcano is a vent or chimney which transfers molten rock known as magma from depth of the Earth's surface up to the surface.
When the magma reaches the surface and erupts from the volcano it is then called lava, and this is the material that gives volcano's their shapes as it builds up as a cone surrounding the vent.
The image below shows this in a visual context.
Source: Cuecnahighlife
Now, lets answer the question! - What was the biggest ever volcanic eruption?
The Answer: Mount Tambora
This is currently one of Indonesia's top 100 active volcanoes, but it was its eruption on the 10th April 1815 that devastated the world.
Mount Tambora erupted more than 50 - 150 cubic kilometers of magma and collapsed afterwards to form a 6 km wide and 1250 m deep crater, measuring a 7 on the VEI scale.
The eruption produced a giant plinian eruption column, which is estimated to have reached more 40-50 km altitude, ejecting large amounts of ash and aerosols into the stratosphere.
Pyroclastic flows reached the sea on all sides of the peninsula, and heavy tephra fall devastated the crops in the surrounding area, resulting in around 60,000 fatalities. Entire villages were buried under thick pumice deposits. Recently some of the settlements have been excavated and opened up, making the site a Pompeii of Indonesia.
While the death toll of people living on Sumbawa and surrounding coastal areas was high enough, even more fatalities can be attributed to the indirect effect of global climate deterioration after the eruption. These changes turned 1816 into a year without a summer for much of Europe, causing widespread famine. It is estimated that it caused the death of over 100,000 people.
I hope you enjoyed, here is a stunning photo of Mount Tambora to finish this post.
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Will
Hope to never have to live trough something like this in my life !
It would be terrifying!
Very interesting your topic. I love the volcano, I'm very interested. I will follow you because you have talent in writing. Good job bravo
Hardly the "biggest ever". But yes, the biggest in recent times.