Historic eruptions of Mount Fuji
35°21′46.35″N 138°43′53.63″E / 35.3628750°N 138.7315639°E
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/FujiSunriseKawaguchiko2025WP.jpg/300px-FujiSunriseKawaguchiko2025WP.jpg)
Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano which is the tallest peak in Japan. The latest eruption of Mount Fuji was triggered by an earthquake in 1707.[1] The mountain as it appears now is known as the "New Fuji volcano", which began to erupt about 10,000 years ago. Under the "New Fuji volcano" lies the "Old Fuji volcano", which was active between 100,000 years ago and 10,000 years ago, and the "Komitake volcano", which became active 700,000 years ago.
Prehistory
Komitake and Old Fuji
There has been volcanic activity in the vicinity of Mount Fuji for several million years. The earliest geologically known volcano was Mount Komitake (小御岳火山, small mountain volcano) that became active 700,000 years ago. Another volcano to the south-east of Mount Fuji—known as Mount Ashitaka (愛鷹山)—was also highly active throughout the period. The peak of Komitake is about 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) above sea-level on the north face of Mount Fuji (at the fifth station).
Komitake entered another period of activity around 100,000 years ago. This created a new volcano known as Old Fuji (古富士, kofuji, Old Fuji) that reached a height of 3,100 meters (10,200 ft). It created many explosive eruptions that threw out large amounts of scoria, volcanic ash and lava.
New Fuji
Following the Old Fuji period, there were about 4,000 years of inactivity, ending at around 5,000 years ago, when Mount Fuji became active again; this period is known as New Fuji (新富士, shinfuji), and continues to the present day. Eruptions of New Fuji exhibit phenomena such as lava flows, magma, scoria, volcanic ash, collapses and side eruptions, leading it to be called "a department store of eruptions". Ash from New Fuji is often black, and eruptions are new in terms of geological layers. Valuable data on the activity of Mount Fuji is recorded in Japanese historical documents dating from the 8th century onwards. It exhibits a range of representative eruptions.
The Gotemba mud flow
About 2,300 years ago the east face of the volcano collapsed and
Jōgan eruption
In 864 (the 6th year of the Jōgan era) there was an eruption on the north-east side of Mount Fuji, which produced a great amount of lava.
- 864 (Jōgan 6, 5th month): Mount Fuji erupted for 10 days, and it ejected from its summit an immense quantity of cinders and ash. Lava flowed down its west bank, creating the plain that is now Aokigahara Forest and splitting Lake Senoumi, which existed at the time, into two. This created Lake Saiko and Lake Shojiko.Shōjiko (精進湖). This is known as the Aokigahara lava (青木ヶ原溶岩), and at present is covered by the dense Aokigaharaforest.
Hōei eruption
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/FujiHoei2078.jpg/220px-FujiHoei2078.jpg)
The latest eruption, in 1707 (the 4th year of the
- November 11, 1707 (Hōei 4, 14th day of the 10th month): The city of Osaka suffers tremendously because of a very violent earthquake.[4]
- December 16, 1707 (Hōei 4, 23rd day of the 11th month): An eruption of Musashi.[5] This eruption was remarkable, as it spread a vast amount of volcanic ash and scoria over a region as far as Edo(now Tokyo), which was almost 100 km (62.137 miles) away.
Records of eruption
Sixteen eruptions of New Fuji have been recorded since 781. Many of the eruptions occurred in the
Current eruptive danger
Scientists study the activity of the magma rising by measuring CO2 emissions in the deeper parts of the volcano. Studies from before the 2011
Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, much attention was given to the volcanic reaction of Mount Fuji. Experts have found that the internal pressure of the Mount Fuji magma chamber has increased to an estimated 1.6 megapascals, raising speculation over the possibility of an eruption. The financial damage to Japan from a Fuji eruption is estimated at ¥2.5 trillion (about $25 billion).[6][7]
See also
- Hōei eruption of Mount Fuji
- List of volcanoes in Japan
Notes
- ^ "Mt Fuji". www.volcanodiscovery.com. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/common/001563619.pdf
- ^ Titsingh, Isaac (1834). Nipon o daï itsi ran: ou Annales des empereurs du Japon. Oriental Translation Fund. p. 118.
- ^ Titsingh, Isaac (1834). Nipon o daï itsi ran: ou Annales des empereurs du Japon. Oriental Translation Fund. p. 415.
- ^ Shikuoka University page; see Japanese Wikipedia.
- ^ Blackstone, Samuel. "Experts Predict Japan's Mount Fuji Will Erupt Soon". Business Insider.
- ^ "2011 earthquake put pressure on Mt. Fuji - UPI.com". upi.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
References
- Fujisan Sono Shizen no Subete (富士山 その自然のすべて), "Mount Fuji - All About Its Nature", written by Akira Suwa (諏訪彰) 1992 Dōbunshoin (同文書院) ISBN 4-8103-4047-3
- Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland.
External links
- Fujisan "Fujisan (Mount Fuji)".
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value (help) - Japan Meteorological Agency - Fujisan (Mount Fuji) - Smithsonian Institution: Global Volcanism Program