Some Aspects of Quaternary History of Tongariro Volcanic Centre

The Tongariro Volcanic Centre, at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, North Island, New Zealand, consists of five large andesite volcanoes - Ruapehu, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe, Pihanga and Kaharamea-Tihia - with several associated minor volcanoes and vents all of Quaternary age. In the northern part of the Centre the north-westerly trending Kakaramea-Tihia Massif and Pihanga form a chain of volcanoes which last erupted more than 20,000 years BP, but from which large mudflows have recurred up to as recently as 1910 A.D. By contrast the other two multiple vent volcanoes - Ruapehu and the Tongariro Massif - include several vents (four and possibly five) that have been active during the last 100 years and, in particular, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu Crater Lake.