The earliest known record of a volcanic eruption comes from geological evidence in the form of volcanic rocks and deposits preserved in the Earth’s rock record. These records provide evidence of past volcanic activity that occurred millions to billions of years ago.
One of the oldest preserved volcanic rocks on Earth is found in Western Greenland and has been dated to be around 3.8 billion years old. These rocks, known as the Isua Greenstone Belt, contain evidence of volcanic eruptions in the form of lava flows, volcanic ash layers, and other volcanic deposits. This indicates that volcanic activity was occurring on Earth as early as 3.8 billion years ago.
Other ancient volcanic rocks and deposits have been found in various locations around the world, providing evidence of volcanic activity in the Earth’s early history. For example, in Western Greenland, there are volcanic rocks dated to be around 3.7 billion years old, and in Western Greenland and Canada, there are volcanic rocks dated to be around 2.7 billion years old.
It’s important to note that the Earth’s rock record is incomplete, and older records of volcanic eruptions may have been eroded or otherwise destroyed over billions of years of geological processes. However, based on the available geological evidence, the earliest known record of a volcanic eruption dates back to around 3.8 billion years ago in Western Greenland.
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