What was the Oruanui eruption?

The Oruanui eruption of New Zealand's Taupo Volcano, occurring around 25,700 to 25,600 years ago, was the world's most recent supereruption and its largest characterized phreatomagmatic eruption. It holds a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8, meaning it produced a deposit volume greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers. Today, the caldera formed by this massive rhyolitic supervolcano is filled by Lake Taupo.

What we know

• The Oruanui eruption occurred around 25,700 to 25,600 years before present. [2, 3]
• It is recognized as the world's most recent supereruption and the largest phreatomagmatic eruption characterized to date. [1, 2]
• The eruption originated from the Taupo Volcano, a large rhyolitic supervolcano located in New Zealand. [1, 4]
• As a Volcanic Explosivity Index 8 eruption, it produced deposit volumes exceeding 1,000 cubic kilometers. [3]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow do supervolcanoes form and erupt?
• the bigger pictureWhat is the Volcanic Explosivity Index?
• whereWhere is Lake Taupo located?
• compared withWhat are other historical supereruptions?
• how we knowWhat is the Taupo Volcanic Zone?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a massive volcanic caldera become a lake?The vast depression left behind by the collapse of Earth's most recent supereruption now completely fills with the water of Lake Taupo.

Sources

• [1]Oruanui eruption (Wikidata Q2745099) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Oruanui eruption · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Supervolcano · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Taupō Volcano · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]List of largest volcanic eruptions · CC BY-SA 4.0