Eruptive History

               From March 29 to April 5, 2005, the lava lake inside Villarrica's crater became active, producing minor Strombolian style eruptions. Volcanic bombs were thrown up to 300 meters away from the crater by gas explosions. The Oficina Nacional de Emergencia reported that increased seismicity was observed during this period. These eruptions produced some fresh ash deposits that were observed outside the crater, leading officials to ban hikers from climbing the volcano¹.

               This eruption was likely a 1 on the VEI index considering it was relatively minor. The eruption produced some minor explosions and did produce a small amount of ash, which further leads me to believe it was a 1 on the VEI index. As the Global Volcanism Network stated, the eruption was a Strombolian style eruption. As our textbook states, Strombolian eruptions "consist of intermittent, discrete explosive bursts, ejecting basaltic pyroclasts (in this case 'volcanic bombs') a few tens or hundreds of metres into the air²." This being said, Strombolian eruptions are also known as not being continual eruptions, which also describes this eruption.

                Villarrica's eruptive history can be traced back to approximately 9500 years ago. The volcano has experienced variously styles of eruptions all the way from Hawaiian to Plinian. Historically, Villarrica has been seen to produce eruptions of intensity up to Vulcanian³.

Fig. 3.1

                     Villarrica's 1984 eruption, complete with lava flow. The present lava lake is a product of this eruption.

The following is an in-depth history of Villarrica's recordable eruptions compiled by the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Network. More significant eruptions are highlighted:³

 

Start Date: 2004  Aug 5 (?)	Stop Date: 2007 Dec 24 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava lake eruption
Start Date: 2003  May 23 (?)	Stop Date: 2004 Mar 25 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava lake eruption
Start Date: 1998  Feb 24 ± 4 days	Stop Date: 2002 Jun (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Phreatic explosion(s)     Lava lake eruption
Start Date: 1996  Sep 14	Stop Date: 1997 Aug
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava lake eruption
Start Date: 1996  Jan	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava lake eruption
Start Date: 1995  Apr 15 ± 5 days	Stop Date: 1995 Jun 2 (on or after)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1994  Sep 26	Stop Date: 1994 Dec 30
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1992  Sep 11	Stop Date: 1992 Dec (in or after)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Phreatic explosion(s)
Start Date: 1991  Aug 30	Stop Date: 1991 Sep 17
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Phreatic explosion(s)
Start Date: 1984  Aug 11	Stop Date: 1985 Nov 18
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2 Lava Volume:  2  x  106 m3	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Damage (land, property, etc.)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)     Debris avalanche(s)
Start Date: 1983  Oct 14	Stop Date: 1983 Oct 16
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 1980  Jun 20	Stop Date: 1980 Sep 24
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 1977  Jan 26	Stop Date: 1977 Jan 30
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1971  Oct 29	Stop Date: 1972 Feb 21
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2 Lava Volume:  3  x  107 m3 Area of Activity: Summit, NE and SW flanks	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Radial fissure eruption     Subglacial eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Fatalities     Damage (land, property, etc.)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1964  Mar 2	Stop Date: 1964 Apr 21
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Fatalities     Damage (land, property, etc.)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)     Debris avalanche(s)
Start Date: 1963  Feb 25 (?)	Stop Date: 1963 Sep 21 (on or after)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  3? Area of Activity: Summit and upper SW flank	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Radial fissure eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Fatalities     Damage (land, property, etc.)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1961	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1960
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption  (?)
Start Date: 1958  Nov 6	Stop Date: 1959 Dec 21
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1956  Oct 3	Stop Date: 1956 Nov 16 ± 45 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1950
Eruption is UNCERTAIN	Eruptive Characteristics:  Unknown
Start Date: 1948  Oct 9	Stop Date: 1949 Feb 3
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  3	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Lava lake eruption     Fatalities     Damage (land, property, etc.)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)     Debris avalanche(s)
Start Date: 1948  Apr 10	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1947	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava lake eruption  (?)
Start Date: 1938  Dec 1 ± 30 days	Stop Date: 1939 Feb 1 ± 30 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1938  Feb 11
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption  (?)
Start Date: 1935  Dec 1 ± 30 days	Stop Date: 1936 Jun 27
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1933  Jan 5	Stop Date: 1933 Jan 18 ± 12 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1929  Dec 27	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1927	Stop Date: 1928
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1922  Oct 24	Stop Date: 1922 Nov 27 ± 20 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1921  Dec 10
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption  (?)     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1920  Dec 10	Stop Date: 1920 Dec 13
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1919
Eruption is UNCERTAIN	Eruptive Characteristics:  Unknown
Start Date: 1915	Stop Date: 1918
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1913
Eruption DISCREDITED Area of Activity: (1913 eruption report discredited)
Start Date: 1909  Aug 19	Stop Date: 1910
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1908  Oct 31	Stop Date: 1908 Dec 12 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1907  May 5 ± 4 days	Stop Date: 1907 May 26 (?)
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1906  Apr 22	Stop Date: 1906 Dec
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1904	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)
Start Date: 1897  Dec 1 ± 30 days	Stop Date: 1898 Feb 1 ± 30 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1893  Dec 1 ± 30 days	Stop Date: 1894 Feb 1 ± 30 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1883	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1880	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1879  Feb 2	Stop Date: 1879 Mar
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1877  Mar 12	Stop Date: 1877 May
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1875  Nov 17	Stop Date: 1876
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1874  Apr 16	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1869  Feb 4	Stop Date: 1869 Feb 24 ± 4 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1867	Stop Date: 1868
Eruption is UNCERTAIN	Eruptive Characteristics:  Unknown
Start Date: 1864  Oct	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1859  May 19	Stop Date: 1860 Apr 12
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1853  Nov	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1852
Eruption is UNCERTAIN	Eruptive Characteristics:  Unknown
Start Date: 1837  Nov 7	Stop Date: 1837 Nov 21
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1832  Dec 24	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1822  Nov 19	Stop Date: 1822 Nov 25 ± 5 days
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1815	Stop Date: 1818
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1806  Apr	Stop Date: 1806 May
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1790  Jan	Stop Date: 1801
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1787	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 1780	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1777	Stop Date: 1779
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1775
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption  (?)     Lava flow(s)  (?)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)  (?)
Start Date: 1759  Dec	Stop Date: 1759 Dec
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1751  Dec 14	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1745	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1742	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1737  Dec 24	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1730  Jul 8	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1716	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1688 (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Mudflow(s) (lahars)  (?)
Start Date: 1657  Mar 15	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1647  May 13	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  1?	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1640  Feb 3
Eruption is UNCERTAIN Area of Activity: (1640 eruption from Llaima volcano?)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption  (?)     Explosive eruption  (?)     Lava flow(s)  (?)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)  (?)     Debris avalanche(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1594	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption
Start Date: 1575
Eruption DISCREDITED Area of Activity: (earthquake, not eruption)
Start Date: 1562	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Lava flow(s)  (?)
Start Date: 1558	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Historical Records Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  2	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Damage (land, property, etc.)     Mudflow(s) (lahars)  (?)
Start Date: 330 AD (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Area of Activity: (Cónquil pyroclastic flow)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 110 AD (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  0 Area of Activity: (Zanjón Seco pahoehoe lava flows)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 670 BC (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Area of Activity: (Pedregoso pyroclastic surge)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 1080 BC (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Area of Activity: (FP-B unit; date out of strat. sequence)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 1810 BC ± 200 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  5 Area of Activity: (Pucón Ignimbrite)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Central vent eruption     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)     Caldera collapse
Start Date: 1980 BC ± 150 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Tephrochronology Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  0 Area of Activity: (Zanjón Seco lava flows)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 2140 BC (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Area of Activity: (Alfunalhue pyroclastic flow)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 2240 BC (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 2990 BC ± 500 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Tephrochronology Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  0 Area of Activity: (El Pirao lava flows)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Lava flow(s)
Start Date: 3730 BC (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Area of Activity: (Candelaria pyroclastic flow)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 6690 BC (?)	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected) Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  P Area of Activity: (Voipir pyroclastic flow)	Eruptive Characteristics:     Explosive eruption     Pyroclastic flow(s)
Start Date: 7520 BC ± 1000 years	Stop Date: Unknown
Dating Technique: Tephrochronology Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI):  0	Eruptive Characteristics:     Lava flow(s)

Source: 