Global Volcanism Program

Taranaki

Google Earth Placemark with Features

Cite Volcano Profile

New Zealand
Taupo Volcanic Zone
Composite | Stratovolcano
1800 CE

Country
Volcanic Region
Landform | Volc Type
Last Known Eruption

39.3°S
174.07°E
2,518 m
8,261 ft
241030

Latitude
Longitude
Summit
Elevation
Volcano
Number

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

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

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

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

Egmont

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Fanthams Peak

Cone

1962 m

39° 19' 0" S

174° 3' 58" E

Domes

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Beehives, the

Dome

952 m

39° 20' 13" S

174° 3' 29" E

Dome, the

Dome

1048 m

39° 16' 0" S

174° 2' 0" E

Skinner Hill

Dome

1311 m

39° 17' 0" S

174° 3' 0" E

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

241030

1800 CE

2,518 m / 8,261 ft

39.3°S
174.07°E

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Composite

Volcano Types
Stratovolcano
Lava dome(s)

Rock Types

Major
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Minor
Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

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

200
230
77,381
104,499

Geological Summary

The nearly symmetrical, steep-sided cone of Taranaki (previously known as Egmont), is a large andesitic stratovolcano on the west coast of central North Island. It is surrounded by a ring plain of debris-avalanche and lahar deposits that extend to the coast. Taranaki is the youngest and SE-most of a group of three volcanoes beginning with the Pleistocene Kaitoke Range. Fanthams Peak is located on the S flank, and four lava domes are on the lower N and S flanks. Multiple episodes of edifice collapse have occurred in the past 50,000 years. Explosive activity, sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lava dome growth, has occurred frequently throughout the Holocene.

References

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

Alloway B, Neall V E, Vucetich C G, 1995. Late Quaternary (post 28,000 year B.P.) tephrostratigraphy of northeast and central Taranaki, New Zealand. J Roy Soc New Zeal, 25: 385-458.

Carroll L D, Gamble J A, Houghton B F, Thordarson T, Higham T F G, 1997. A radiocarbon age determination for Mount Edgecumbe (Putauaki) volcano, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. New Zeal J Geol Geophys, 40: 559-562.

Downey W S, Kellett R J, Smith I E M, Price R C, Stewart R B, 1994. New paleomagnetic evidence for the recent eruptive activity of Mt. Taranaki, New Zealand. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 60: 15-27.

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

Locke C A, Cassidy J, 1997. Egmont volcano, New Zealand: three-dimensional structure and its implications for evolution. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 76: 149-161.

Nairn I A, Cole J W, 1975. New Zealand. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 22: 1-156.

Neall V E, 1971. Volcanic domes and lineations in Egmont National Park. New Zeal J Geol Geophys, 14: 71-81.

Neall V E, 1979. New Plymouth, Egmont North, Egmont South and Manaia. New Zeal Dept Sci Ind Res, 1:50,000 geol map, 3 sheets and notes.

Neall V E, Alloway B V, 1986. Quaternary volcaniclastics and volcanic hazards of Taranaki (Tour Guide C3). New Zeal Geol Surv Rec, 12: 101.

Neall V E, Alloway B V, 1991. Volcanic hazards at Egmont volcano. New Zeal Ministry Civil Defense, Volc Hazards Inf Ser, 1: 1-31.

Neall V E, Stewart R B, Smith I E M, 1986. History and petrology of the Taranaki volcanoes. Roy Soc New Zeal Bull, 23: 257-263.

Platz T, Cronin S J, Cashman K V, Stewart R B, Smith I E M, 2007. Transition from effusive to explosive phases in andesite eruptions - a case-study from the AD1655 eruption of Mt. Taranaki, New Zealand. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 161: 15-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2006.11.005

Price R C, McCulloch M T, Smith I E M, Stewart R B, 1992. Pb-Nd-Sr isotopic compositions and trace element characteristics of young volcanic rocks from Egmont volcano and comparisons with basalts and andesites from the Taupo volcanic zone, New Zealand. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 56: 941-953.

Shane P, 2005. Towards a comprehensive distal andesitic tephrostratigraphic framework for New Zealand based on eruptions from Egmont volcano. J Quat Sci, 20: 45-57.

Turner M B, Bebbington M S, Cronin S J, Stewart R B, 2009. Merging eruption datasets: building an integrated Holocene eruptive record for Mt Taranaki, New Zealand. Bulletin of Volcanology, 71: 903-918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-009-0274-x

Turner M B, Cronin S J, Bebbington M S, Platz T, 2008. Developing probabilistic eruption forecasts for dormant volcanoes: a case study from Mt Taranaki, New Zealand. Bulletin of Volcanology, 70: 507-515.

Turner M B, Cronin S J, Smith I E, Stewart R B, Neall V E, 2008. Eruption episodes and magma recharge events in andesitic systems: Mt Taranaki, New Zealand. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 177: 1063-1076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2008.08.001

Ui T, Kawachi S, Neall V E, 1986. Fragmentation of debris avalanche material during flowage; evidence from the Pungarehu Formation, Mount Egmont, New Zealand. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 27: 255-264.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 42 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

[ 1854 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1854 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1800 (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1800 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1755 (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Tahurangi Ash

1755 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Sidereal: Dendrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Tahurangi Ash

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Ash

1700 ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1700 ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1655 (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption

Burrell Lapilli

1655 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Sidereal: Dendrochronology

List of 9 Events for Episode 1 at Burrell Lapilli

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Directed Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
1655 (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1590 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1590 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1570 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1570 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1560 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1560 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1550 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1550 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1500 ± 30 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Newall Ash

1500 ± 30 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 7 Events for Episode 1 at Newall Ash

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Directed Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage

1480 ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1480 ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Ash

1400 ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1400 ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

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

1340 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1340 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1300 ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1300 ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1070 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1070 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0970 ± 30 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0970 ± 30 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0820 ± 30 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0820 ± 30 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0550 (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Kaupokonui tephra

0550 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Kaupokonui tephra

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

0520 ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0520 ± 150 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Directed Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Ash

0390 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0390 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0150 (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3 (?)

Episode 1 | Eruption

0150 (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 8 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Scoria
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
0150 (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

0100 ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0100 ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0040 BCE ± 75 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Maketawa Tephra

0040 BCE ± 75 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 6 Events for Episode 1 at Maketawa Tephra

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

0150 BCE ± 30 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0150 BCE ± 30 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0420 BCE ± 30 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0420 BCE ± 30 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

0590 BCE ± 500 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

0590 BCE ± 500 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Ash

1130 BCE ± 200 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Fanthams Peak, Manganui Tephra

1130 BCE ± 200 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Fanthams Peak, Manganui Tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Scoria

1190 BCE ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1190 BCE ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1250 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Southern Beehive

1250 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 1 Events for Episode 1 at Southern Beehive

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Lava dome

1560 BCE ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1560 BCE ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

1700 BCE ± 100 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 5

Episode 1 | Eruption

Inglewood Tephra

1700 BCE ± 100 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 6 Events for Episode 1 at Inglewood Tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Pyroclastic flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Blocks
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
1700 BCE ± 100 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

2150 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Korito Tephra

2150 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Korito Tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Tephra
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

2400 BCE ± 40 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

2400 BCE ± 40 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

2450 BCE ± 300 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Mangatoki Tephra

2450 BCE ± 300 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Mangatoki Tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli

2700 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Tariki tephra

2700 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Tariki tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

2850 BCE ± 300 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

2850 BCE ± 300 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

3250 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Waipuku tephra

3250 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Waipuku tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

5120 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

5120 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

6050 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

6050 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 5 Events for Episode 1

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

7000 BCE ± 100 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Kaponga-f tephra

7000 BCE ± 100 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Kaponga-f tephra

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice

7270 BCE ± 50 years Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

7270 BCE ± 50 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

7330 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Kaponga-e tephra

7330 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Kaponga-e tephra

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

7650 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

Kaponga-b tephra

7650 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Kaponga-b tephra

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	- - - -	- - - -	Tephra

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Taranaki.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Taranaki.

Photo Gallery

Taranaki volcano dominates the W coast of New Zealand's North Island. The stratovolcano, seen here from the S, is surrounded by a ring plain of debris avalanche and lahar deposits produced by repetitive collapse of the volcanic edifice. It has been active throughout the Holocene. The latest eruption of Taranaki took place in 1854 CE.

Photo by Jim Cole (University of Canterbury).

Taranaki volcano (previously called Egmont) has a breached summit crater that is occupied by a partially-destroyed lava plug. This view from the SE shows the stacked lava flows that form much of the cone, with the vegetated slopes of the parasitic cone, Fanthams Peak, at the left.

Photo by Chris Newhall, 1986(U.S. Geological Survey).

Grass-covered conical hills dot the plains around Mount Taranaki on New Zealand's North Island. Small hills such as these, often located in lowland areas well beyond the flanks of a volcano, were once thought to be scoria cones or small secondary vents produced by explosions when a lava flow passed over a body of water. They are now recognized to be hummocks of massive debris avalanches produced by volcanic landslides or flank collapse. Debris avalanche deposits originating from repetitive collapse surround the volcano to distances of about 40 km.

Photo by Don Swanson, 1984 (U.S. Geological Survey).

The pasture-covered, hilly terrain in the foreground is part of a vast ring plain of debris avalanche and lahar deposits surrounding Mount Taranaki. Repetitive collapse of the volcano during the late Pleistocene and Holocene produced debris avalanches that reached the W coast, nearly 40 km away.

Photo by Dan Miller (U.S. Geological Survey).

An aerial view from the south shows Taranaki, with its parasitic cone Fanthams Peak at the bottom right. The summit contains a partially destroyed lava dome and four other lava domes are located low on the S and N flanks. Taranaki collapsed and rebuilt itself repetitively during the late Pleistocene and Holocene.

Photo by Jim Cole, 1971 (University of Canterbury).

Taranaki, seen here from the SW, rises above the Taranaki ring plain, with Fanthams Peak on the left. It is the youngest and SE-most of a group of volcanoes beginning with the Kaitoke Range, near the W coast of North Island. Its most recent activity, during the 15th to 19th centuries, included the eruption of ash plumes, pyroclastic flows that traveled to the NW, and emplacement of the summit lava dome.

Photo by Chris Newhall, 1986 (U.S. Geological Survey).

Mount Taranaki is the centerpiece of Egmont National Park on the W side of the North Island of New Zealand. Farmlands surrounding the volcano extend to the boundaries of the national park, leaving a circular pattern prominent from space. The Pleistocene Kaitoke Range forms the topographic high to the WNW.

NASA Space Shuttle image STS110-726-6, 2002 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Taranaki 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 Taranaki. 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 Taranaki. 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 Taranaki

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).