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Aso

Volcano

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The huge Aso caldera seen from space: 25 by 18 km in size, it was created by at least 4 huge eruptions between 270 to 90 thousand years ago (image: NASA Earth Observatory)

Aso (or Asosan) volcano in central Kyushu Island in southwestern Japan is one of the world's most active volcanoes. In recent years, it has been the site of frequent ash eruptions.
Aso is no single edifice, but a complex of active vents in the center of a large 24 km wide caldera.

Volcano type	caldera restless

Location	Japan

Summit elevation	1592 m / 5,223 ft

Aso volcano eruptions	2021, 2019-2020, 2016, 2014-15, 2011 (May), 2005, 2004, 2003, 1994-95, 1992-93, 1989-91, 1988, 1984-85, 1983, 1981, 1980, 1979-80, 1977-78, 1975-76, 1973-75, 1970-72, 1967-69, 1964-66, 1964, 1963-64, 1963, 1960-62, 1960, 1959, 1957-58, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1953, 1952(?), 1951, 1950-51, 1949, 1948, 1947, 1946, 1945, 1943-44, 1943, 1942(?), 1940-41, 1938-39, 1937, 1936, 1935, 1934, 1932-33, 1931(?), 1930, 1928-29, 1926-28, 1925, 1923, 1920, 1919, 1918, 1916, 1914, 1911-12, 1910, 1909, 1908, 1907, 1906, 1898-99, 1897, 1894, 1884, 1874, 1872-73, 1856, 1854, 1838, 1837, 1835, 1830-32, 1830, 1829, 1828, 1827-28, 1827, 1826, 1816, 1815, 1814, 1806, 1804, 1781-88, 1772-80, 1765, 1753(?)-54, 1709, 1708(?), 1691, 1683, 1675, 1671, 1668-69, 1668, 1649, 1637, 1631, 1620, 1613, 1612, 1611, 1598-99, 1592, 1587, 1584, 1583, 1582, 1576, 1564, 1563(?), 1562, 1558-59, 1542, 1533, 1522, 1506, 1505, 1485, 1473-74, 1438, 1434, 1390(?) 1388(?), 1387, 1377, 1376, 1375-76, 1369, 1346, 1343, 1340, 1335, 1331-33, 1331, 1324, 1305, 1286, 1281, 1274, 1273, 1272, 1272, 1271, 1269, 1265, 1240, 1239, 1229, 986(?), 867, 864, 796(?), 553

Typical eruption style	explosive

The 24-km-wide Aso caldera was formed during four major explosive eruptions from 300,000 to 90,000 years ago. These produced voluminous pyroclastic flows that covered much of Kyushu. The last of these, the Aso-4 eruption, produced more than 600 cu km of airfall tephra and pyroclastic-flow deposits. A group of 17 central cones was constructed in the middle of the caldera, one of which, Naka-dake, is one of Japan's most active volcanoes. It was the location of Japan's first documented historical eruption in 553 AD. The Naka-dake complex has remained active throughout the Holocene. Several other cones have been active during the Holocene, including the Kometsuka scoria cone as recently as about 210 AD. Historical eruptions have largely consisted of basaltic to basaltic-andesite ash emission with periodic strombolian and phreatomagmatic activity. The summit crater of Naka-dake is accessible by toll road and cable car, and is one of Kyushu's most popular tourist destinations.
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Source: GVP Aso volcano information

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