Types of volcanic eruptions

1. Phreatic or hydrothermal

is a stream-driven eruption as the hot rocks come in contact with water. It is short-lived, characterized by ash columns but may be an onset of a larger eruption. It is shown on the picture below.

Taal, Volcano in Batangas, Philippines

2. Phreatomagmatic

is a violent eruption due to the contact between water and magma. As a result, a large column of very fine ash and high-speed and sideway emission of pyroclastics called base surges are observed like the volcano shown below.

Kavachi Volcano (located south of Vangunu Island, Solomon Islands

3. Strombolian

a periodic weak to violent eruption characterized by fountain lava, just like the Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica. The photo is shown below.

4. Vulcanian

characterized by tall eruption columns that reach up to 20km high with pyroclastic flow and ashfall tephra like that of Paricutin Volcano in Mexico shown below.

5. Plinian

excessively explosive type of eruption of gas and pyroclastics, just like the volcano shown below, the Pinatubo Volcano which is found in the Philippines.