The large fissure eruption in the region of Plosky Tolbachik volcano in Kamchatka, 1975–1976

Abstract

The paper describes the course of the Large Tolbachik fissure eruption taking place in Kamchatka from July 6, 1975 to December 10, 1976. The eruption zone extended for 30 km. The formation of monogenic scoria cones nearly 300 m high, lava tubes and basalt sheets up to 80 m thick and more than 40 km2 in area and subsidence of the Plosky Tolbachik summit caldera to a depth of more than 400 m were observed during the eruption. The volume of eruption products amounted to more than 2 km3. It was the largest basalt eruption which has taken place in the Kurile-Kamchatka volcanic belt in historic time.