Plinian eruption

A sustained explosive volcanic eruption that sends a buoyant column of ash, gas, and rock fragments high into the atmosphere. It can produce widespread ashfall and dangerous pyroclastic currents.

Eruption column: A rising plume of volcanic gas and particles produced by an explosive eruption. Its height and stability distinguish a sustained Plinian eruption from a collapsing plume.
79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius: The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic deposits. Pliny the Younger’s account made this eruption the type example for the name.
Pliny the Younger: A Roman author whose letters described the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. His eyewitness account inspired the term “Plinian eruption.”
Vulcanian eruption: A series of short, explosive bursts that eject ash, blocks, and gas from a volcano. Its discrete blasts contrast with the sustained discharge typical of Plinian eruptions.
Column collapse: The failure of an eruption column when its density exceeds that of the surrounding atmosphere. Collapse can redirect material from the high plume into ground-hugging currents.
1815 eruption of Mount Tambora: A massive eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia that caused widespread destruction and climatic cooling. Its immense ash and gas output exemplifies the global reach of a major Plinian eruption.
Vesuvian eruption: An explosive eruption style characterized by tall columns and sustained ejection of tephra. The term is sometimes used for Plinian activity, especially in its classic Vesuvius form.
Strombolian eruption: An eruption style marked by intermittent, moderate explosions that eject incandescent fragments. Its bursts are generally shorter and less plume-dominated than Plinian activity.
Pyroclastic density current: A fast-moving mixture of hot volcanic gas, ash, and rock fragments that flows along the ground. A collapsing Plinian column can generate these lethal flows.
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens: A catastrophic eruption in Washington State involving a landslide, lateral blast, and sustained ash plume. Its eruption column and ashfall offer a closely observed modern example.

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