Global Volcanism Program

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Kuchinoshima.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Kuchinoshima.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Kuchinoshima.

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

282043

1190 CE

628 m / 2,060 ft

29.968°N
129.926°E

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Composite

Volcano Types
Stratovolcano(es)
Lava dome(s)

Rock Types

Major
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Oceanic crust (< 15 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

93
101
291
11,002

Geological Summary

Kuchinoshima, lying in the northern Ryukyu Islands between the volcanic islands of Nakanoshima and Kuchinoerabujima, consists of two andesitic stratovolcanoes and a NW-SE-trending chain of lava domes. Two small villages, Nishinohama and Kuchinoshima, lie at the northern end of the mostly uninhabited island. The compound 628-m-high Maedake lava dome, forming the highest point on the 3 x 7 km wide island, was constructed east of the summit of 501-m-high Yokodake stratovolcano. The last magmatic eruption took place about 1200-1300 years ago.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Hayakawa Y, 1996. (pers. comm.).

IAVCEI, 1973-80. Post-Miocene Volcanoes of the World. IAVCEI Data Sheets, Rome: Internatl Assoc Volc Chemistry Earth's Interior.

Japan Association Quaternary Research, 1987. Quaternary Maps of Japan: Landforms, Geology, and Tectonics. Tokyo: Univ Tokyo Press.

Japan Meteorological Agency, 2013. National Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes in Japan (fourth edition, English version). Japan Meteorological Agency.

Kudo T, Hoshizumi H, 2006-. Catalog of eruptive events within the last 10,000 years in Japan, database of Japanese active volcanoes. Geol Surv Japan, AIST, https://gbank.gsj.jp/volcano/index_e.htm.

Nakano S, Yamamoto T, Iwaya T, Itoh J, Takada A, 2001-. Quaternary Volcanoes of Japan. Geol Surv Japan, AIST, http://www.aist.go.jp/RIODB/strata/VOL_JP/.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 4 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

1190 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Episode 1 \| Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)
1190 ± 40 years - Unknown				Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (calibrated)

0750 ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

0750 ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (calibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

0900 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

0900 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Phreatic activity	Uncertain

6750 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Yoko-dake, Mae-dake

6750 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (calibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Yoko-dake, Mae-dake

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Ash

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Synonyms

Kutino-sima | Kuchino-shima

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Furiidake

Stratovolcano

Tanagiyama

Stratovolcano

Ueurayama

Stratovolcano

Yokodake
Yoko-dake

Stratovolcano

501 m

29° 57' 43.00" N

129° 55' 12.00" E

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Ogochi

Caldera

Domes

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Hikisue

Dome

Kamakurazaki

Dome

Kitayokodake

Dome

Maedake
Mae-dake

Dome

628 m

29° 58' 5.00" N

129° 55' 32.00" E

Minamiyokodake

Dome

Moedake

Dome

Otoshinodaira

Dome

Seranma

Dome

Photo Gallery

Kuchinoshima consists of two cones and a NW-SE-trending chain of lava domes, seen here from the NE. Two small villages, Nishinohama and Kuchinoshima, lie at the northern end of the island. The Maedake lava dome (left-center) forms the highest point on the 3 x 7 km island.

Copyrighted photo by Shun Nakano, 2005 (Japanese Quaternary Volcanoes database, RIODB, http://riodb02.ibase.aist.go.jp/strata/VOL_JP/EN/index.htm and Geol Surv Japan, AIST, http://www.gsj.jp/).

Maedake lava dome is the highest point on Kuchinoshima and formed during the last magmatic eruption on the island between the 8th and 13th centuries.

Copyrighted photo by Shun Nakano, 2005 (Japanese Quaternary Volcanoes database, RIODB, http://riodb02.ibase.aist.go.jp/strata/VOL_JP/EN/index.htm and Geol Surv Japan, AIST, http://www.gsj.jp/).

The center peak is the Maedake lava dome that rises above the E coast of Kuchinoshima and forms the high point of the island. The flat-topped Yokodake peak is to the upper right. Kuchinoshima lies in the northern Ryukyu Islands between the volcanic islands of Nakanoshima and Kuchinoerabujima.

Copyrighted photo by Shun Nakano, 2005 (Japanese Quaternary Volcanoes database, RIODB, http://riodb02.ibase.aist.go.jp/strata/VOL_JP/EN/index.htm and Geol Surv Japan, AIST, http://www.gsj.jp/).

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Kuchinoshima in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Kuchinoshima. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Kuchinoshima. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of Kuchinoshima

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).