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The Millennium Eruption of Changbaishan Tianchi Volcano is VEI 6, not 7

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Jenkins, Susanna F. 
Lerner, Geoffrey A. 
Li, Weiran 
Suzuki, Takehiko 

Abstract

Abstract: The Millennium Eruption (AD 946–947) of Changbaishan Tianchi Volcano is one of the largest known eruptions in recorded history. With the help of previously published isopachs and distal ash thicknesses, we re-calculate the bulk volume of its distal eruptive product, the B-Tm ash, as 27–62 km3 and the total eruption volume as 40–98 km3. The updated volume estimates are around half of those estimated by previous studies of this seminal eruption. Our work shows that the Millennium Eruption is a VEI-6 eruption, rather than VEI-7 as previously envisaged, and its magnitude is also lower than previously thought. This has implications for regional frequency-magnitude relationships and may also partially explain the limited regional, rather than global, climatic effects of the Millennium Eruption.

Description

Funder: AXA joint research initiative

Keywords

Short Scientific Communication, Millennium eruption, Changbaishan tianchi volcano, Isopachs, B-Tm ash, Tephra volume, VEI

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Publisher

Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Sponsorship
National Research Foundation Singapore and the Singapore Ministry of Education (NRF2018NRF-NSFC003ES-010)
National Natural Science Foundation of China (41861144025)