Aniakchak CFE II
Start: 3430 yBP ± 70 Years [1]
Event Type: Explosive
Max VEI: 6 [2]
Description: From Neal and others (2001): "Modern Aniakchak caldera formed about 3,500 years ago during a violent, catastrophic eruption nearly 1,000 times the size (eruptive volume) of the August 1992 eruption of Mount Spurr volcano (fig. 1 [in original text]; Miller and Smith, 1977). During the caldera-forming eruption, draining of underground magma reservoirs caused an existing stratocone to collapse, thereby creating the deep crater that persists today (fig. 4 and pl.1 [in original text]). The enormous impact of this eruption is evident in thick blankets of coarse, pumice-rich debris deposited by pyroclastic flows that flowed in all directions from Aniakchak. These deposits extend as much as 60 km, to Bristol Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Fine ash from this eruption has been identified as far away as the north shore of the Seward Peninsula, 1,100 km to the north (Riehle and others, 1987, p. 19-22; Beget and others, 1992). Moreover, careful analysis of these fall-out deposits suggests that as many as 10 distinct, smaller explosive eruptions together spanned decades to centuries leading up to the climactic caldera-forming eruption (Riehle and others, 1999)."
From Bacon and others (2014): "The spectacular 10-km-diameter Aniakchak Crater is a caldera that collapsed during the voluminous Aniakchak II eruption ca. 3,590 cal yr B.P. (ca. 3,430 14C yr B.P.). This eruption produced rhyodacite Plinian pumice fall and ignimbrite, followed first by ignimbrite with both rhyodacite and andesite juvenile clasts, then by andesite ignimbrite. The mixed and andesite ignimbrite deposits commonly are partly welded. Ignimbrite is present in valleys surrounding the edifice and extends to the coast on both northwest and southeast."
"The ignimbrite is significant for the high mobility of the pyroclastic flows that deposited it (Miller and Smith, 1977) and for dramatic compositional zonation of rhyodacite followed by andesite (Miller and Smith, 1977; Dreher, 2002; Dreher and others, 2005). Ash from this eruption has been identified over a large part of the Alaska Peninsula and on the Alaska mainland as far north as the Seward Peninsula (Riehle and others, 1987; Beget and others, 1992). The calendrical age of the eruption is suggested to be 3,590-3,588+/-11 cal yr B.P. (Coulter and others, 2012) by correlation with chemically analyzed glass shards associated with an acid spike in Greenland ice cores (Pearce and others, 2004; Denton and Pearce, 2006), which compares favorably with the calibrated +/-2 sigma age range of 3550-3870 cal yr B.P. and preferred +/-1 sigma age of 3,660+/-70 cal yr B.P. for 3,430+/-70 14C yr B.P. (table 1 [in original text])."
From VanderHoek (2009): "United States Geological Survey and NPS researchers have reported multiple lines of evidence that, when taken together, suggest a warm season eruption for the 3400 B.P. Aniakchak event. The first of these include a pattern of tephra fallout to the north-northwest (Beget and others 1992; Riehle and others 1987), indicating a wind from the south-southeast, which is more common in the region between May and September (Lea 1989b:227, Figure 5.3). Additional support for a warm season eruption is the fact that rip-up peat clasts were found entrained in the lower levels of the 3400 B.P. pyroclastic flow (Dilley 2000), suggesting flow over unfrozen ground. Third, a tsunami was generated by the pyroclastic flow striking Bristol Bay (Waythomas and Neal 1998), suggesting the flow encountered an unfrozen bay. Fourth, the tsunami deposits on the northern Bristol Bay coast also contained rip-up peat clasts (Waythomas and Neal 1998: 112), which would only have happened if the tsunami swept across the northern coast when the ground was unfrozen."
From Derkachev and others (2018): "Glass from the Br2 tephra have medium-K rhyolitic compositions and are geochemically similar to the rhyolitic population of the ~ 3.6 ka Aniakchak II glass (Kaufman et al. 2012; Davies et al. 2016; Wallace et al. 2017) (Figs. 5, 6,and 7) [in text]. Only one of the analyzed Br2 shards falls into the andesitic Aniakchak II field; however, non-analyzed brown shards described in the samples likely indicate the presence of the whole andesite Aniakchak II population. Moreover, rhyolite Br2 glass are identical in composition to rhyolite glass from both proximal and ultra-distal (Chukchi Sea) Aniakchak II tephras. A single andesitic glass shard analyzed by LA-ICP-MS has a very similar trace element composition to that of andesitic Aniakchak II shards from Chukchi Sea sediments (Fig. 4a) [in text].
Based on chemical similarity of Br2 glass to those from the 3.6 ka Aniakchak II tephra, its Holocene age (Fig. 2) [in text], and the aerial distribution of the Aniakchak II fall deposit (Davies et al. 2016; Graham et al. 2016; Pearce et al. 2017; Ponomareva et al. 2018), we suggest that the Br2 tephra correlates to the ~ 3.6 ka Aniakchak II eruption. A preliminary report on this finding by Derkachev et al. (2015) permitted Ponomareva et al. (2018) to use this site to develop a new isopach map for the Aniakchak II tephra fall deposit. The new map allows us to double the volume of this eruption from the value of 50 km3 given by Miller and Smith (1987) to~100 km3. Assuming an ash density of 0.6 g/cm3 (Kutterolf et al. 2008b) and rhyolite density of 2.6 g/cm3, the dense rock equivalent (DRE) volume of the Aniakchak II tephra fall deposit is here estimated to be 23 km3,with an erupted mass of 6.0 × 104 Mt. This corresponds to an eruption magnitude (M) of 6.8 (Pyle 1995; Mason et al. 2004).
Wide dispersal of the ~ 3.6 ka Aniakchak II tephra across the Bering Sea (Derkachev et al. 2015; Graham et al. 2016) permits significant enlargement of its known dispersal area (Davies et al. 2016) and indicates that it could also occur in northeast Asia (Fig. 1) [in text]. The Aniakchak II tephra can also serve as a major Holocene marker horizon for the Bering Sea shelf, directly linking its Holocene sedimentary archives to those from the Chukchi Sea (Pearce et al. 2017; Ponomareva et al. 2018), eastern Canada (Pyne-O'Donnell et al. 2012), and Greenland (Pearce et al. 2004; Coulter et al. 2012; Jennings et al. 2014)."
The Global database on large magnitude explosive volcanic eruptions (LaMEVE; 2016) reports a magnitude of 6.9, bulk eruptive volume of 75 cubic km and a dense rock equivalent eruptive volume of 33.5 cubic km for the Aniakchak II eruption.
From Bacon and others (2014): "The spectacular 10-km-diameter Aniakchak Crater is a caldera that collapsed during the voluminous Aniakchak II eruption ca. 3,590 cal yr B.P. (ca. 3,430 14C yr B.P.). This eruption produced rhyodacite Plinian pumice fall and ignimbrite, followed first by ignimbrite with both rhyodacite and andesite juvenile clasts, then by andesite ignimbrite. The mixed and andesite ignimbrite deposits commonly are partly welded. Ignimbrite is present in valleys surrounding the edifice and extends to the coast on both northwest and southeast."
"The ignimbrite is significant for the high mobility of the pyroclastic flows that deposited it (Miller and Smith, 1977) and for dramatic compositional zonation of rhyodacite followed by andesite (Miller and Smith, 1977; Dreher, 2002; Dreher and others, 2005). Ash from this eruption has been identified over a large part of the Alaska Peninsula and on the Alaska mainland as far north as the Seward Peninsula (Riehle and others, 1987; Beget and others, 1992). The calendrical age of the eruption is suggested to be 3,590-3,588+/-11 cal yr B.P. (Coulter and others, 2012) by correlation with chemically analyzed glass shards associated with an acid spike in Greenland ice cores (Pearce and others, 2004; Denton and Pearce, 2006), which compares favorably with the calibrated +/-2 sigma age range of 3550-3870 cal yr B.P. and preferred +/-1 sigma age of 3,660+/-70 cal yr B.P. for 3,430+/-70 14C yr B.P. (table 1 [in original text])."
From VanderHoek (2009): "United States Geological Survey and NPS researchers have reported multiple lines of evidence that, when taken together, suggest a warm season eruption for the 3400 B.P. Aniakchak event. The first of these include a pattern of tephra fallout to the north-northwest (Beget and others 1992; Riehle and others 1987), indicating a wind from the south-southeast, which is more common in the region between May and September (Lea 1989b:227, Figure 5.3). Additional support for a warm season eruption is the fact that rip-up peat clasts were found entrained in the lower levels of the 3400 B.P. pyroclastic flow (Dilley 2000), suggesting flow over unfrozen ground. Third, a tsunami was generated by the pyroclastic flow striking Bristol Bay (Waythomas and Neal 1998), suggesting the flow encountered an unfrozen bay. Fourth, the tsunami deposits on the northern Bristol Bay coast also contained rip-up peat clasts (Waythomas and Neal 1998: 112), which would only have happened if the tsunami swept across the northern coast when the ground was unfrozen."
From Derkachev and others (2018): "Glass from the Br2 tephra have medium-K rhyolitic compositions and are geochemically similar to the rhyolitic population of the ~ 3.6 ka Aniakchak II glass (Kaufman et al. 2012; Davies et al. 2016; Wallace et al. 2017) (Figs. 5, 6,and 7) [in text]. Only one of the analyzed Br2 shards falls into the andesitic Aniakchak II field; however, non-analyzed brown shards described in the samples likely indicate the presence of the whole andesite Aniakchak II population. Moreover, rhyolite Br2 glass are identical in composition to rhyolite glass from both proximal and ultra-distal (Chukchi Sea) Aniakchak II tephras. A single andesitic glass shard analyzed by LA-ICP-MS has a very similar trace element composition to that of andesitic Aniakchak II shards from Chukchi Sea sediments (Fig. 4a) [in text].
Based on chemical similarity of Br2 glass to those from the 3.6 ka Aniakchak II tephra, its Holocene age (Fig. 2) [in text], and the aerial distribution of the Aniakchak II fall deposit (Davies et al. 2016; Graham et al. 2016; Pearce et al. 2017; Ponomareva et al. 2018), we suggest that the Br2 tephra correlates to the ~ 3.6 ka Aniakchak II eruption. A preliminary report on this finding by Derkachev et al. (2015) permitted Ponomareva et al. (2018) to use this site to develop a new isopach map for the Aniakchak II tephra fall deposit. The new map allows us to double the volume of this eruption from the value of 50 km3 given by Miller and Smith (1987) to~100 km3. Assuming an ash density of 0.6 g/cm3 (Kutterolf et al. 2008b) and rhyolite density of 2.6 g/cm3, the dense rock equivalent (DRE) volume of the Aniakchak II tephra fall deposit is here estimated to be 23 km3,with an erupted mass of 6.0 × 104 Mt. This corresponds to an eruption magnitude (M) of 6.8 (Pyle 1995; Mason et al. 2004).
Wide dispersal of the ~ 3.6 ka Aniakchak II tephra across the Bering Sea (Derkachev et al. 2015; Graham et al. 2016) permits significant enlargement of its known dispersal area (Davies et al. 2016) and indicates that it could also occur in northeast Asia (Fig. 1) [in text]. The Aniakchak II tephra can also serve as a major Holocene marker horizon for the Bering Sea shelf, directly linking its Holocene sedimentary archives to those from the Chukchi Sea (Pearce et al. 2017; Ponomareva et al. 2018), eastern Canada (Pyne-O'Donnell et al. 2012), and Greenland (Pearce et al. 2004; Coulter et al. 2012; Jennings et al. 2014)."
The Global database on large magnitude explosive volcanic eruptions (LaMEVE; 2016) reports a magnitude of 6.9, bulk eruptive volume of 75 cubic km and a dense rock equivalent eruptive volume of 33.5 cubic km for the Aniakchak II eruption.
Impact: Waythomas and Neal (1998) report on tsunami deposits along the coastline of upper Bristol Bay, Alaska. Blackford and others (2014) report a hiatus in peat deposition following tephra deposition. VanderHoek (2009) and Barton and others (2018) report on cultural impacts of the eruption. Beget and others (1992) report on tree-ring anomolies and an ice core acidity peak that could have been caused by the Aniakchak II eruption. [35] [15] [5] [8] [37]
Other Impacts: From Waythomas and Neal (1998): "An unusual pumiceous sand sheet within Holocene peat deposits along the coastline of upper Bristol Bay, Alaska, was probably deposited by a tsunami during the ~3500-year B.P. eruption of Aniakchak Volcano. The tsunami was probably caused by the rapid ingress of a large volume pyroclastic flow into southern Bristol Bay. Distal pumice-rich fallout lapilli and local beach sand were the sources of the tsunami sand sheet. The tsunami wave, which could have been as high as 7.8 m just off Nushagak Peninsula, swept up and over coastal bluffs and inundated a peat-covered lowland that presently is less than or equal to 15 m above sea level. The pumiceous sand was deposited over the coastal fringe of the lowland and later buried by renewed peat accumulation."
From Blackford and others (2014): "A closely spaced sequence of radiocarbon dates at a peatland site over 1000 km from the volcano show that peat accumulation was greatly reduced with a hiatus of approximately 90-120 yr following tephra deposition. During this inferred hiatus no paleoenvironmental data are available but once vegetation returned the flora changed from a Cyperaceae-dominated assemblage to a Poaceae-dominated vegetation cover, suggesting a drier and/or more nutrient-rich ecosystem. Oribatid mites are extremely abundant in the peat at the depth of the ash, and show a longer-term, increasingly wet peat surface across the tephra layer."
From VanderHoek (2009): "The separation of Eskimo and Aleut populations was caused by the 4th millennium B.P. volcanism on the central Alaska Peninsula, particularly the 3400 rcy B.P. Aniakchak eruption and ash fall. The Aniakchak eruption forced Alaska Peninsula populations north and south out of the Bristol Bay region, and extirpated any human populations under the ash flow or ash fall. This eruption both mixed and separated the two groups that later in time come to be called the Eskimo and Aleut Arctic Small Tool-related populations were pushed down the Alaska Peninsula, with ASTt traits appearing in the occupation at the Hot Springs Site as well at Russell Creek (Maschner and Jordan 2001). Volcanic effects may have pushed a marine-adapted population from the Alaska Peninsula north around western Alaska and above the Bering Strait (Dumond 2000). The ASTt occupation north of the volcano at the Ugashik Narrows appears to have ended with the eruption (Henn 1978:12), as did most ASTt occupations in western Alaska (Slaughter 2005)."
From Beget and others (1992): "The age range for the Aniakchak eruption at one sigma overlaps the time of the widespread tree-ring anomalies and the ice core acidity peak. The large initial volume and widespread dispersal of the Aniakchak tephra in Alaska are similar to or greater than the Santorini eruption and other eruptions which are believed to have had a significant effect on climate (Palais and Sigurdsson, 1990). Therefore it is premature to assume unique correlations between the Santorini eruption and the seventeenth century tree-ring series data or the acid spike found in Greenland ice cores, as these features may have been caused by the Aniakchak eruption. These features could also be due to eruptions at Mount St Helens, Mount Vesuvius, or other volcanoes (Vogel et al., 1990)." [35] [15] [5] [8]
Images
References Cited
[1] Late Quaternary caldera-forming eruptions in the eastern Aleutian arc, Alaska, 1987
Miller, T. P., and Smith, R. L., 1987, Late Quaternary caldera-forming eruptions in the eastern Aleutian arc, Alaska: Geology, v. 15, n. 5, p. 434-438.
full-text PDF 2.5 MB [2] Volcanoes of the World, 2013
Global Volcanism Program, 2013, Volcanoes of the World, v. 4.5.3. Venzke, E (ed.): Smithsonian Institution. Downloaded 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW4-2013[3] Postglacial eruptive history, geochemistry, and recent seismicity of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 2014
Bacon, C.R., Neal, C.A., Miller, T.P., McGimsey, R.G., and Nye, C.J., 2014, Postglacial eruptive history, geochemistry, and recent seismicity of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1810, 74 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1810, available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1810/
[4] Spectacular mobility of ash flows around Aniakchak and Fisher calderas, Alaska, 1977
Miller, T. P., and Smith, R. L., 1977, Spectacular mobility of ash flows around Aniakchak and Fisher calderas, Alaska: Geology, v. 5, n. 3, p. 173-176.
full-text PDF 1.92 MB [5] The role of ecological barriers in the development of cultural boundaries during the later Holocene of the central Alaska Peninsula, 2009
VanderHoek, Richard, 2009, The role of ecological barriers in the development of cultural boundaries during the later Holocene of the central Alaska Peninsula: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign PhD dissertation, 413 p.[6] Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 2001
Neal, Christina, McGimsey, R. G., Miller, T. P., Riehle, J. R., and Waythomas, C. F., 2001, Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-0519, 35 p.
full-text PDF 24.2 MB [7] The physical volcanology and petrology of the 3400 YBP caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 2002
Dreher, S. T., 2002, The physical volcanology and petrology of the 3400 YBP caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Fairbanks, AK, 174 p.[8] Age, extent, and climatic significance of the c. 3400 BP Aniakchak tephra, western Alaska, USA, 1992
Beget, James, Mason, Owen, and Anderson, Patricia, 1992, Age, extent, and climatic significance of the c. 3400 BP Aniakchak tephra, western Alaska, USA: The Holocene, v. 2, n. 1, p. 51-56.[9] The Aniakchak tephra deposit, a late Holocene marker horizon in western Alaska, 1987
Riehle, J. R., Meyer, C. E., Ager, T. A., Kaufman, D. S., and Ackerman, R. E., 1987, The Aniakchak tephra deposit, a late Holocene marker horizon in western Alaska: in Hamilton, T. D. and Galloway, J. P., (eds.), Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1986, U.S. Geological Survey Circular C 0998, p. 19-22.
full-text pdf 5.5 mb [10] Tephrochronology of the Brooks River Archaeological District, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska: what can and cannot be done with tephra deposits, 2000
Riehle, J. R., Dumond, D. E., Meyer, C. E., and Schaaf, J. M., 2000, Tephrochronology of the Brooks River Archaeological District, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska: what can and cannot be done with tephra deposits: in McGuire, W. J., Griffiths, D. R., Hancock, P. L., and Stewart, I. S., (eds.), The archaeology of geological catastrophes, Geological Society, London Special Publication 171, p. 245-266.[11] Data on Holocene tephra (volcanic ash) deposits in the Alaska Peninsula and lower Cook Inlet region of the Aleutian volcanic arc, Alaska, 1999
Riehle, J. R., Meyer, C. E., and Miyaoka, R. T., 1999, Data on Holocene tephra (volcanic ash) deposits in the Alaska Peninsula and lower Cook Inlet region of the Aleutian volcanic arc, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-0135, 5 p.
Project website: homepage 160 KB
Project website: methods 178 KB
Project website: index map 119 KB
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Beget, J., 1996, Tephrochronology and paleoclimatology of the last interglacialglacial cycle recorded in Alaskan loess deposits: Quaternary International, v. 34, p. 121-126.[13] Late Quaternary glacial and volcanic stratigraphy near Windy Creek, Katmai National Park, Alaska, 1993
Pinney, D. S., 1993, Late Quaternary glacial and volcanic stratigraphy near Windy Creek, Katmai National Park, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished M.S. thesis, 185 p.
full-text PDF 9.5 MB [14] Identification of Aniakchak (Alaska) tephra in Greenland ice core challenges the 1645 BC date for Minoan eruption of Santorini, 2004
Pearce, N.J.G., Westgate, J.A., Preece, S.J., Eastwood, W.J., and Perkins, W.T., 2004, Identification of Aniakchak (Alaska) tephra in Greenland ice core challenges the 1645 BC date for Minoan eruption of Santorini: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems - G3, v. 5, n. 3, unpaged.[15] Age and impacts of the caldera-forming Aniakchak II eruption in western Alaska, 2014
Blackford, J.J., Payne, R.J., Heggen, M.P., de la Riva Caballero, A., and van der Plicht, J., 2014, Age and impacts of the caldera-forming Aniakchak II eruption in western Alaska: Quaternary Research, v. 82, p. 85-95, doi:10.1016/j.yqres.201404.013[16] Late Pleistocene environments of the western Noatak basin, northwestern Alaska, 1999
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Coulter, S.E., Pilcher, J.R., Plunkett, Gill, Baillie, Mike, Hall, V.A., Steffensen, J.P., Vinther, B.M., Clausen, H.B., and Johnsen, S.J., 2012, Holocene tephras highlight complexity of volcanic signals in Greenland ice cores: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 117, 11 p., doi:10.1029/2012JD017698, 2012[18] Geomorphic consequences of volcanic eruptions in Alaska: A review, 2015
Waythomas, C.F., 2015, Geomorphic consequences of volcanic eruptions in Alaska: A review: Geomorphology, v. 246, p. 123-145, doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.06.004[19] A Holocene tephrochronological framework for Finland, 2023
Kalliokoski, M., Guðmundsdóttir, E.R., Wastegård, S., Jokinen, S., and Saarinen, T., 2023, A Holocene tephrochronological framework for Finland: Quaternary Science Reviews v. 312, article no. 108173, 18 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108173.[20] Traces of volcanic ash from the Mediterranean, Iceland and North America in a Holocene record from south Wales, UK, 2019
Jones, G., Davies, S.M., Staff, R.A., Loader, N.J., Davies, S.J., and Walker, M.J.C., 2019, Traces of volcanic ash from the Mediterranean, Iceland and North America in a Holocene record from south Wales, UK: Journal of Quaternary Science v. 35, no. 1-2, p. 163-174. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3141[21] Geochemical ice-core constraints on the timing and climatic impact of Aniakchak II (1628 BCE) and Thera (Minoan) volcanic eruptions, 2022
Pearson, C., Sigl, M., Burke, A., Davies, S., Kurbatov, A., Severi, M., Cole-Dai, J., Innes, H., Albert, P.G., and Helmick, M., 2022, Geochemical ice-core constraints on the timing and climatic impact of Aniakchak II (1628 BCE) and Thera (Minoan) volcanic eruptions: PNAS Nexus v. 1, no. 2, article no. pgac048, 12 p. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac048.[22] Volcanism and the Greenland ice-cores: the tephra record, 2012
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Denton, J.S., Pearce, N.J.G., 2008, Comment on "A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene" by B. M. Vinther et al.: no Minoan tephra in the 1642 B.C. layer of the GRIP ice core: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 113, 7 p., D04303.[24] Defining the potential source region of volcanic ash in northwest Europe during the Mid- to Late Holocene, 2018
Plunkett, Gill, and Pilcher, J.R., 2018, Defining the potential source region of volcanic ash in northwest Europe during the Mid-to Late Holocene: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 179, p. 20-37.[25] High-precision ultra-distal Holocene tephrochronology in North America, 2012
Pyne-O'Donnell, S.D.F., Hughes, P.D.M., Froese, D.G., Jensen, B.L., Kuehn, S.C., Mallon, Gunnar, Amesbury, M.J., Charman, D.J., Daley, T.J., Loader, N.J., Mauquoy, Dmitri, Street-Perrott, F.A., and Woodman-Ralph, Jonathan, 2012, High-precision ultra-distal Holocene tephrochronology in North America: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 52, p. 6-11, doi: 10.1016/j.quasicrev.2012.07.024[26] The 3.6 ka Aniakchak tephra in the Arctic Ocean: a constraint on the Holocene radiocarbon reservoir age in the Chukchi Sea, 2017
Pearce, Christof, Varhelyi, Aron, Wastegard, Stefan, Muschitiello, Francesco, Barrientos, Natalia, O'Regan, Matt, Cronin, T.M., Gemery, Laura, Semiletov, Igor, Backman, Jan, and Jakobsson, Martin, 2017, The 3.6 ka Aniakchak tephra in the Arctic Ocean: a constraint on the Holocene radiocarbon reservoir age in the Chukchi Sea: Climate of the Past, v. 13, no. 4, p. 303-316.[27] Late Pleistocene and Holocene tephrostratigraphy of interior Alaska and Yukon: Key beds and chronologies over the past 30,000 years, 2016
Davies, L. J., Jensen, B. J., Froese, D. G., and Wallace, K. L., 2016, Late Pleistocene and Holocene tephrostratigraphy of interior Alaska and Yukon: Key beds and chronologies over the past 30,000 years: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 146, p. 28-53.[28] Thera eruption date 1645 BC confirmed by new ice core data?, 2003
Hammer, C.U., Kurat, G., Hoppe, P., Grum, W., and Clausen, H.B., 2003, Thera eruption date 1645 BC confirmed by new ice core data?: paper presented at SCIEM 2000-EuroConference, Vienna.[29] A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene, 2006
Vinther, B.M., Clausen, H.B., Johnsen, S.J., Rasmussen, S.O., Andersen, K.K., Buchardt, S.L., Dahl-Jensen, D., Seierstad, I.K., Siggaard-Andersen, M.L., Steffensen, J.P., Svensson, A., Olsen, J., Heinemeier, J., 2006, A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 111, D13102.[30] Reply to comment by J. S. Denton and N. J. G. Pearce on “A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene”, 2008
Vinther, B.M., Clausen, H.B., Johnsen, S.J., Rasmussen, S.O., Steffensen, J.P., Andersen, K.K., Buchardt, S.L., Dalh-Jensen, D., Seierstad, I.K., Svensson, A.M., Siggard-Andersen, M.-L., Olsen, J., and Heinemeier, J., 2008, Reply to comment by J. S. Denton and N. J. G. Pearce on "A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene": Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres v. 113, no. D12, unpaged. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009083.[31] Ice cores from the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada: their significance for climate, atmospheric composition and volcanism in the north Pacific region, 2014
Zdanowicz, Christian, Fisher, David, Bourgeois, Jocelyne, Demuth, Mike, Zheng, James, Mayewski, Paul, Kreutz, Karl, Osterberg, Erich, Yalcin, Kaplan, Wake, Cameron, Steig, E.J., Froese, D.G., Goto-Azuma, Kumiko, 2014, Ice cores from the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada: their significance for climate, atmospheric composition and volcanism in the north Pacific region: Arctic, v. 67, Suppl. 1, p. 35-24.[32] Holocene glacier fluctuations, Waskey Lake, northeastern Ahklun Mountains, southwestern Alaska, 2004
Levy, L.B., Kaufman, D.S., and Werner, A., 2004, Holocene glacier fluctuations, Waskey Lake, northeastern Ahklun Mountains, southwestern Alaska: The Holocene, v. 14, p. 185-193.[33] Extending the Applications of Tephrochronology in Northwestern North America, 2011
Dunning, H., 2011, Extending the Applications of Tephrochronology in Northwestern North America: University of Alberta M.S. Thesis, 187 p.[34] The petrology and geochemistry of the Aniakchak caldera-forming ignimbrite, Aleutian Arc, Alaska, 2005
Dreher, S.T., Eichelberger, J.C., and Larsen, J.F., 2005, The petrology and geochemistry of the Aniakchak caldera-forming ignimbrite, Aleutian Arc, Alaska: Journal of Petrology, v. 46, n. 9, p. 1747-1768, doi: 10.1093/petrology/egi032.[35] Tsunami generation by pyroclastic flow during the 3500-year B.P. caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 1998
Waythomas, C. F., and Neal, C. A., 1998, Tsunami generation by pyroclastic flow during the 3500-year B.P. caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 60, n. 2, p. 110-124.[36] Holocene tsunami deposits in coastal peatlands, northeastern Bristol Bay, SW Alaska, 1990
Lea, P.D., 1989, Holocene tsunami deposits in coastal peatlands, northeastern Bristol Bay, SW Alaska: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 21, n. 6, A344[37] Holocene human occupation of the Central Alaska Peninsula, 2018
Barton, Loukas, Shirar, Scott, and Jordan, J.W., 2018, Holocene human occupation of the Central Alaska Peninsula: Radiocarbon, v. 60, no. 2, p. 367-382.Complete Eruption References
Postglacial eruptive history, geochemistry, and recent seismicity of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 2014
Bacon, C.R., Neal, C.A., Miller, T.P., McGimsey, R.G., and Nye, C.J., 2014, Postglacial eruptive history, geochemistry, and recent seismicity of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1810, 74 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/pp1810, available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1810/
Late Quaternary caldera-forming eruptions in the eastern Aleutian arc, Alaska, 1987
Miller, T. P., and Smith, R. L., 1987, Late Quaternary caldera-forming eruptions in the eastern Aleutian arc, Alaska: Geology, v. 15, n. 5, p. 434-438.
full-text PDF 2.5 MB 
Spectacular mobility of ash flows around Aniakchak and Fisher calderas, Alaska, 1977
Miller, T. P., and Smith, R. L., 1977, Spectacular mobility of ash flows around Aniakchak and Fisher calderas, Alaska: Geology, v. 5, n. 3, p. 173-176.
full-text PDF 1.92 MB 
Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 2001
Neal, Christina, McGimsey, R. G., Miller, T. P., Riehle, J. R., and Waythomas, C. F., 2001, Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-0519, 35 p.
full-text PDF 24.2 MB 
The physical volcanology and petrology of the 3400 YBP caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 2002
Dreher, S. T., 2002, The physical volcanology and petrology of the 3400 YBP caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Fairbanks, AK, 174 p.
Catalog of the historically active volcanoes of Alaska, 1998
Miller, T. P., McGimsey, R. G., Richter, D. H., Riehle, J. R., Nye, C. J., Yount, M. E., and Dumoulin, J. A., 1998, Catalog of the historically active volcanoes of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-0582, 104 p.
intro and TOC PDF 268 KB
references PDF 43 KB 
Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada, 1990
Wood, C. A., and Kienle, Juergen, (eds.), 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: New York, Cambridge University Press, 354 p.
Hard Copy held by AVO at FBKS - CEC shelf
Widespread tephra layers in the Bering Sea sediments: distal clues to large explosive eruptions from the Aleutian volcanic arc, 2018
Derkachev, A.N., Ponomareva, V.V., Portnyagin, M.V., Gorbarenko, S.A., Nikolaeva, N.A., Malakhov, M.I., Zelenin, E.A., Nurnberg, D., and Liu, Yanguang, 2018, Widespread tephra layers in the Bering Sea sediments: distal clues to large explosive eruptions from the Aleutian volcanic arc: Bulletin of Volcanology, 17 p., v. 80, n. 80, doi: 0.1007/s00445-018-1254-9
A Holocene tephrochronological framework for Finland, 2023
Kalliokoski, M., Guðmundsdóttir, E.R., Wastegård, S., Jokinen, S., and Saarinen, T., 2023, A Holocene tephrochronological framework for Finland: Quaternary Science Reviews v. 312, article no. 108173, 18 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108173.
Traces of volcanic ash from the Mediterranean, Iceland and North America in a Holocene record from south Wales, UK, 2019
Jones, G., Davies, S.M., Staff, R.A., Loader, N.J., Davies, S.J., and Walker, M.J.C., 2019, Traces of volcanic ash from the Mediterranean, Iceland and North America in a Holocene record from south Wales, UK: Journal of Quaternary Science v. 35, no. 1-2, p. 163-174. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3141
Geochemical ice-core constraints on the timing and climatic impact of Aniakchak II (1628 BCE) and Thera (Minoan) volcanic eruptions, 2022
Pearson, C., Sigl, M., Burke, A., Davies, S., Kurbatov, A., Severi, M., Cole-Dai, J., Innes, H., Albert, P.G., and Helmick, M., 2022, Geochemical ice-core constraints on the timing and climatic impact of Aniakchak II (1628 BCE) and Thera (Minoan) volcanic eruptions: PNAS Nexus v. 1, no. 2, article no. pgac048, 12 p. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac048.
Age and impacts of the caldera-forming Aniakchak II eruption in western Alaska, 2014
Blackford, J.J., Payne, R.J., Heggen, M.P., de la Riva Caballero, A., and van der Plicht, J., 2014, Age and impacts of the caldera-forming Aniakchak II eruption in western Alaska: Quaternary Research, v. 82, p. 85-95, doi:10.1016/j.yqres.201404.013
Volcanism and the Greenland ice-cores: the tephra record, 2012
Abbott, P. M., and Davies, S. M., 2012, Volcanism and the Greenland ice-cores: the tephra record: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 115, n. 3, p. 173-191.
Comment on “A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene” by B. M. Vinther et al.: no Minoan tephra in the 1642 B.C. layer of the GRIP ice core, 2008
Denton, J.S., Pearce, N.J.G., 2008, Comment on "A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene" by B. M. Vinther et al.: no Minoan tephra in the 1642 B.C. layer of the GRIP ice core: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 113, 7 p., D04303.
Absolute tree-ring dates for the Late Bronze Age eruptions of Aniakchak and Thera in light of a proposed revision of ice-core chronologies, 2019
McAneney, J., and Baillie, M., 2019, Absolute tree-ring dates for the Late Bronze Age eruptions of Aniakchak and Thera in light of a proposed revision of ice-core chronologies: Antiquity v. 93, no. 367, p. 99-112. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2018.165.
Defining the potential source region of volcanic ash in northwest Europe during the Mid- to Late Holocene, 2018
Plunkett, Gill, and Pilcher, J.R., 2018, Defining the potential source region of volcanic ash in northwest Europe during the Mid-to Late Holocene: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 179, p. 20-37.
High-precision ultra-distal Holocene tephrochronology in North America, 2012
Pyne-O'Donnell, S.D.F., Hughes, P.D.M., Froese, D.G., Jensen, B.L., Kuehn, S.C., Mallon, Gunnar, Amesbury, M.J., Charman, D.J., Daley, T.J., Loader, N.J., Mauquoy, Dmitri, Street-Perrott, F.A., and Woodman-Ralph, Jonathan, 2012, High-precision ultra-distal Holocene tephrochronology in North America: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 52, p. 6-11, doi: 10.1016/j.quasicrev.2012.07.024
Identification of Aniakchak (Alaska) tephra in Greenland ice core challenges the 1645 BC date for Minoan eruption of Santorini, 2004
Pearce, N.J.G., Westgate, J.A., Preece, S.J., Eastwood, W.J., and Perkins, W.T., 2004, Identification of Aniakchak (Alaska) tephra in Greenland ice core challenges the 1645 BC date for Minoan eruption of Santorini: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems - G3, v. 5, n. 3, unpaged.
The 3.6 ka Aniakchak tephra in the Arctic Ocean: a constraint on the Holocene radiocarbon reservoir age in the Chukchi Sea, 2017
Pearce, Christof, Varhelyi, Aron, Wastegard, Stefan, Muschitiello, Francesco, Barrientos, Natalia, O'Regan, Matt, Cronin, T.M., Gemery, Laura, Semiletov, Igor, Backman, Jan, and Jakobsson, Martin, 2017, The 3.6 ka Aniakchak tephra in the Arctic Ocean: a constraint on the Holocene radiocarbon reservoir age in the Chukchi Sea: Climate of the Past, v. 13, no. 4, p. 303-316.
Age, extent, and climatic significance of the c. 3400 BP Aniakchak tephra, western Alaska, USA, 1992
Beget, James, Mason, Owen, and Anderson, Patricia, 1992, Age, extent, and climatic significance of the c. 3400 BP Aniakchak tephra, western Alaska, USA: The Holocene, v. 2, n. 1, p. 51-56.
Late Pleistocene and Holocene tephrostratigraphy of interior Alaska and Yukon: Key beds and chronologies over the past 30,000 years, 2016
Davies, L. J., Jensen, B. J., Froese, D. G., and Wallace, K. L., 2016, Late Pleistocene and Holocene tephrostratigraphy of interior Alaska and Yukon: Key beds and chronologies over the past 30,000 years: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 146, p. 28-53.
Thera eruption date 1645 BC confirmed by new ice core data?, 2003
Hammer, C.U., Kurat, G., Hoppe, P., Grum, W., and Clausen, H.B., 2003, Thera eruption date 1645 BC confirmed by new ice core data?: paper presented at SCIEM 2000-EuroConference, Vienna.
A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene, 2006
Vinther, B.M., Clausen, H.B., Johnsen, S.J., Rasmussen, S.O., Andersen, K.K., Buchardt, S.L., Dahl-Jensen, D., Seierstad, I.K., Siggaard-Andersen, M.L., Steffensen, J.P., Svensson, A., Olsen, J., Heinemeier, J., 2006, A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 111, D13102.
Reply to comment by J. S. Denton and N. J. G. Pearce on “A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene”, 2008
Vinther, B.M., Clausen, H.B., Johnsen, S.J., Rasmussen, S.O., Steffensen, J.P., Andersen, K.K., Buchardt, S.L., Dalh-Jensen, D., Seierstad, I.K., Svensson, A.M., Siggard-Andersen, M.-L., Olsen, J., and Heinemeier, J., 2008, Reply to comment by J. S. Denton and N. J. G. Pearce on "A synchronized dating of three Greenland ice cores throughout the Holocene": Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres v. 113, no. D12, unpaged. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009083.
Ice cores from the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada: their significance for climate, atmospheric composition and volcanism in the north Pacific region, 2014
Zdanowicz, Christian, Fisher, David, Bourgeois, Jocelyne, Demuth, Mike, Zheng, James, Mayewski, Paul, Kreutz, Karl, Osterberg, Erich, Yalcin, Kaplan, Wake, Cameron, Steig, E.J., Froese, D.G., Goto-Azuma, Kumiko, 2014, Ice cores from the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada: their significance for climate, atmospheric composition and volcanism in the north Pacific region: Arctic, v. 67, Suppl. 1, p. 35-24.
Holocene glacier fluctuations, Waskey Lake, northeastern Ahklun Mountains, southwestern Alaska, 2004
Levy, L.B., Kaufman, D.S., and Werner, A., 2004, Holocene glacier fluctuations, Waskey Lake, northeastern Ahklun Mountains, southwestern Alaska: The Holocene, v. 14, p. 185-193.
Tsunami generation by pyroclastic flow during the 3500-year B.P. caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, 1998
Waythomas, C. F., and Neal, C. A., 1998, Tsunami generation by pyroclastic flow during the 3500-year B.P. caldera-forming eruption of Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska: Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 60, n. 2, p. 110-124.
The Aniakchak tephra deposit, a late Holocene marker horizon in western Alaska, 1987
Riehle, J. R., Meyer, C. E., Ager, T. A., Kaufman, D. S., and Ackerman, R. E., 1987, The Aniakchak tephra deposit, a late Holocene marker horizon in western Alaska: in Hamilton, T. D. and Galloway, J. P., (eds.), Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1986, U.S. Geological Survey Circular C 0998, p. 19-22.
full-text pdf 5.5 mb 
Extending the Applications of Tephrochronology in Northwestern North America, 2011
Dunning, H., 2011, Extending the Applications of Tephrochronology in Northwestern North America: University of Alberta M.S. Thesis, 187 p.
Data on Holocene tephra (volcanic ash) deposits in the Alaska Peninsula and lower Cook Inlet region of the Aleutian volcanic arc, Alaska, 1999
Riehle, J. R., Meyer, C. E., and Miyaoka, R. T., 1999, Data on Holocene tephra (volcanic ash) deposits in the Alaska Peninsula and lower Cook Inlet region of the Aleutian volcanic arc, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-0135, 5 p.
Project website: homepage 160 KB
Project website: methods 178 KB
Project website: index map 119 KB
Project website: data 380 KB The significance of volcanic ash in Greenland ice cores during the Common Era, 2023
Plunkett, G., Sigl, M., McConnell, J.R., Pilcher, J.R., and Chellman, N.J., 2023, The significance of volcanic ash in Greenland ice cores during the Common Era: Quaternary Science Reviews v. 301, 107936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107936
Full-text PDF 4.1 MB