7,300-year-old underwater volcano eruption is largest in history, claims new study

Scientists are claiming to haveuncovered the colossal scale of the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history south of Japan's Kyushu island, a cataclysmic event that shook the earth 7,300 years ago.

This earth-shattering blast, known as the Kikai-Akahoya eruption, outstripped all others with its sheer magnitude, ejecting more than double the amount of rock and ash compared to the previous record holder, Indonesia's Mount Tambora in 1815.

The place of the volcanic eruption was within the tumultuous convergence zone of the Philippine and Eurasian tectonic plates. While the eruption had been acknowledged in scientific circles, its true scale remained elusive until now.

"The eruption has been known for a long time, but these authors are increasing our knowledge of it a lot," a professor of volcanology at the University of Clermont Auvergne in France,Tim Druitt, reportedly said.

Accessing the secrets hidden beneath the ocean's depths posed a major challenge for researchers.

However, a recent study published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research outlined how scientists utilised seismic data to chart the underwater landscape around the Kikai volcano.

By employing a remote-controlled robot to extract sediment cores from the seabed, they unearthed crucial evidence of the eruption's immense power.

Vast layer of 1,740 square miles

The sediment cores unveiled a vast layer spanning 1,740 square miles, containing volcanic glass matching the composition and timing of the Kikai-Akahoya eruption.

This discovery significantly surpassed previous estimates, revealing that the eruption expelled nearly double the amount of material initially thought, a staggering 17 cubic miles of volcanic debris into the sea.

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The eruption's total volume was found to be between 80 to 110 cubic miles. This staggering figure solidified the Kikai-Akahoya eruption's status as the largest of the Holocene Epoch, the geological period spanning the last 12,000 to 11,500 years.

"Their conclusion that it is the largest Holocene eruption is valid," Druitt said adding, "The Minoan eruption of Santorini has also been proposed as the largest Holocene eruption, but is now known not to be."

(With inputs from agencies)