Aira erupted around 8,050 BCE with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, a colossal eruption that threw tens of cubic kilometres of ash and rock into the air. Eruptions of this size inject sulphur into the stratosphere and can cool the global climate for a year or more. The VEI is a logarithmic scale: each step means roughly ten times more erupted material. It took place around 8,050 BCE.
Before and after
- c. 8,750 BCEEruption of Ulleungdo
- 86th century BCESheep, goats and cattle are domesticated
- c. 8,400 BCEEruption of Michinmahuida
- c. 8,230 BCEEruption of Grimsvotn
- c. 8,050 BCEEruption of Aira
- from 76th century BCE to 25th century BCEChalcolithic
- 76th century BCECats begin to live with farmers
- from c. 7,500 BCE to 5,700 BCEConstruction of Çatalhöyük
- c. 7,460 BCEEruption of Pinatubo
More in Earth & climate
- c. 7,420 BCEEruption of Fisher
- c. 6,600 BCEEruption of Karymsky
- c. 6,300 BCEEruption of Aniakchak
- c. 5,900 BCEEruption of Crater Lake
- c. 5,700 BCEEruption of Khangar
- c. 4,350 BCEEruption of Kikai
The era
This moment belongs to the Human prehistory (300,000 years ago to 3,200 BCE), the human story before writing.