Catalogue of eruptive events at Vulcano Island, Aeolian Islands

A reliable reconstruction of long-term eruptive activity is fundamental for understanding volcanic behaviour and for improving hazard assessment at volcanoes. Vulcano Island (Aeolian Islands, Italy) is characterized by recurrent Vulcanian activity and long repose periods, and can be reconstructed by multiple historical chronicles and by field geology analyses. Despite its importance, existing catalogues are fragmented, heterogeneous, and often lack systematic integration of geological and historical records. Here we present a revised and harmonized eruption catalogue for Vulcano Island, spanning from ~3500 BC to present, obtained through the critical revision of historical sources and their integration with dated volcanic deposits. Historical accounts were systematically analysed to distinguish eruptive activity from fumarolic unrest and were cross-correlated with stratigraphic, sedimentological, and geochronological data available in the literature. The resulting catalogue includes 60 eruptive events (54 of La Fossa and 6 of Vulcanello), classified by eruptive style following a standardized scheme and supported by explicit documentary and geological evidence. Cumulative curves and style-specific analyses reveal strong temporal variations, largely controlled by changes in settlement history and observational capability. Completeness analysis suggests that the catalogue is reliable for all eruptive styles only after ~1700 AD, while earlier periods are likely biased toward longer-lasting and higher-impact events. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, we show that Vulcano’s eruptive history is organized into macro-cycles, consisting of multi-phase sequences that include effusive, Strombolian, and Vulcanian activity, rather than isolated eruptions. These macro-cycles are interpreted as potential prolonged open-conduit phases and are recognizable in the last 1100 years of activity (from 900 AD onward). This result provides a robust framework for reinterpreting the concept of Vulcanian cycles commonly adopted for Vulcano, and for linking eruptive styles within coherent dynamic units.