What type of eruption was the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius?
1 Answer
Apr 27, 2015
Mount Vesuvius is classified as a Plinian eruption , meaning that a huge column of gas and ash was released from the volcano with tremendous force. This is a very violent eruption, with gas and ash shooting as high as 35 miles in the air.
The eruption type "Plinian" actually originated with this eruption, as Pliny the Younger described the scene. To learn more about Mount Vesuvius and read about the history, check out this link .
The image below shows the plate tectonics of the area. Mount Vesuvius currently sits on a subduction zone along with other volcanoes in Italy.
