Volcano World

Kirishima volcano. Photograph courtesy of and copyrighted by Paul J. Buklarewicz .

Kirishima is a shield volcano made from 20 different eruptive centers. Kirishima has erupted at least 67 times since 742 AD. The most recent eruption was in 1992. Eruptions produce pyroclastic material: scoria, lapilli, and ash. Lava has not been observed at any eruption of Kirishima in historic time. Five eruptions have caused fatalities.

The crater of Shinmoe-dake, a startovolcano, and the most active of the Kirishima volcano. The last eruption at Shinmoe-dake was in 1992. It lasted only one day. Photograph courtesy of and copyrighted by Mike Lyvers.

Takachiho-mine, a stratovolcano and the most sacred of the Kirishima volcanoes.
Photograph courtesy of and copyrighted by Mike Lyvers.

The next two photos show Kirishima's crater lakes with Kirishima volcano in the background.

Photographs courtesy of and copyrighted by Mike Lyvers.

Sources of Information:

Kuno, H., 1962, Part XI, Japan, Taiwan and Marianas: Catalogue of the active volcanoes of the world including solfatara fields, International Association of Volcanology, Rome, Italy, 332 p.

McClelland, L., Simkin, T., Summers, M., Nielsen, E., and Stein, T.C.,=20 1989, Global Volcanism 1975-1985: Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice=20 Hall, 655 p.

Simkin, T., and Siebert, L., 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Geoscience=20 Press, Tucson, Arizona, 349 p.