Such eruptions result from the continuous escape of gas from the magma. As the gas escapes, it produces tephra that piles up into a cinder cone. Vulcanian eruptions get their name from Vulcano, a volcanic island off the Italian coast. These eruptions occur when sticky magma plugs up the central vent. The magmatic gas gradually builds up pressure until it blasts the magma into volcanic dust and bombs.
Peleean eruptions are the most violent.
Their name comes from the eruption in 1902 of Mont Pelee on Martinique, an island in the West Indies. The eruption killed about 38,000 people. A Peleean eruption occurs when the gas in highly sticky magma builds up tremendous pressure. This pressure causes violent explosions that produce glowing clouds of hot ash and dust. In a Peleean eruption, much of the volcano blows apart.