The Magmatophreatic Eruption of Taal Volcano in 1965, Philippines

Abstract

Taal volcano, in the southwestern part of Luzon island (Philippines), is composed essentially of pyroclastic material. Craters on the slope of the main flat cone are wide in proportion to their height, suggesting origin by explosive activity. The eruption in 1965 involved ejection of pyroclastic material of a titanaugite-olivine basalt composition, but no lava flows. Horizontal blasting was an important mechanism of the eruption and was responsible for formation of low-temperature pyroclastic flows whose mobility is attributed to initial development of a fluidized system under the favorable conditions of explosion through layers of pyroclastics.