Veniaminof CFE
Start: 3700 yBP [1]
Event Type: Explosive
Max VEI: 6 [2]
- Tephrafall [1]
- Geomorphologic change [3]
- Caldera lake change [4]
Description: From Miller and Smith (1987): "A 10-km-diameter, ice-filled summit caldera marks the top of Veniaminof volcano, a large (>400 km3) andesitic stratocone (Fig. 1 [in original text]). Postglacial ash-flow sheets extend to 50 km from the caldera rim on the Bering Sea side of the volcano; on the Pacific Ocean side, ash flows apparently entered bays and estuaries."
"14C ages of 3640+/-200 yr and 3750+/-200 yr (samples 15, 16, Table 1 [in original text]) were obtained from charcoal in separate phases of an ash-flow tuff west of Veniaminof. These ages compare well with maximum 14C ages of 3620+/-80 yr (samples 17, 18, Table 1 [in original text]) from organic material underlying ash-flow tuff on the west flank of Veniaminof and of 3660+/-90 yr on organic material underlying distal air fall from the caldera-forming eruption. A date of about 3700 B.P., therefore, seems reasonable for the climactic eruption that formed Veniaminof caldera."
From Waythomas and others (2015): "Extensive, valley-filling pyroclastic flows on all flanks of the volcano extending 40-60 km beyond the caldera."
The Global database on large magnitude explosive volcanic eruptions (LaMEVE; 2017) reports a magnitude of 6.7, bulk eruptive volume of 50 cubic km and a dense rock equivalent eruptive volume of 20 cubic km for the eruption.
"14C ages of 3640+/-200 yr and 3750+/-200 yr (samples 15, 16, Table 1 [in original text]) were obtained from charcoal in separate phases of an ash-flow tuff west of Veniaminof. These ages compare well with maximum 14C ages of 3620+/-80 yr (samples 17, 18, Table 1 [in original text]) from organic material underlying ash-flow tuff on the west flank of Veniaminof and of 3660+/-90 yr on organic material underlying distal air fall from the caldera-forming eruption. A date of about 3700 B.P., therefore, seems reasonable for the climactic eruption that formed Veniaminof caldera."
From Waythomas and others (2015): "Extensive, valley-filling pyroclastic flows on all flanks of the volcano extending 40-60 km beyond the caldera."
The Global database on large magnitude explosive volcanic eruptions (LaMEVE; 2017) reports a magnitude of 6.7, bulk eruptive volume of 50 cubic km and a dense rock equivalent eruptive volume of 20 cubic km for the eruption.
Impact: From Barton and others (2018): "... the absence of occupation evidence from ca. 4150-3950 cal BP may reveal the devastating impact of the caldera-forming eruption of Veniaminof, estimated as occurring between ca. 4100-3900 cal BP (Miller and Smith 1987), but this must remain speculative." [5]
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] 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[4] An overview of break-out floods from intracaldera lakes, 2010
Manville, V., 2010, An overview of break-out floods from intracaldera lakes: Global and Planetary Change, v. 70, p. 14-23, doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2009.11.004.[5] 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
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 
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
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
An overview of break-out floods from intracaldera lakes, 2010
Manville, V., 2010, An overview of break-out floods from intracaldera lakes: Global and Planetary Change, v. 70, p. 14-23, doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2009.11.004.
