Magma volume, volatile emissions, and stratospheric aerosols from the 1815 eruption of Tambora

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Self, S., Gertisser, R., Thordarson, T., Rampino, M. R., Wolff, J. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: ice core
• Online Access: https://oro.open.ac.uk/5093/

We suggest that the Tambora 1815 eruption was smaller than previously thought, yielding 30–33 km 3 of magma. Valuable insight into the eruption is gained by comparing it to the much smaller 1991 Pinatubo event, which had a similar eruption style and rate. By measuring pre- and post-eruption sulfur concentrations in 1815 ejecta, we estimate that Tambora released 53–58 Tg (5.3–5.8 × 10 13 g) of SO2 within a period of about 24 hours on 10–11 April, 1815. This was sufficient to generate between 93 and 118 Tg of stratospheric sulfate aerosols. A value within this range, distributed globally, agrees well with estimates of aerosol mass from ice-core acidity and the radiative impact of the eruption. In contrast to other recent explosive arc eruptions, the Tambora ejecta retain a record of the sulfur mass released, with no “excess sulfur”.