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Karkar Island

Karkar

Stratovolcano · Papua New Guinea · 1839m

An ash plume rises above the summit of Karkar volcano in 1979. There are two nested summit calderas at the summit of the forested volcano resulting in a broad, low profile. The 5.5-km-wide outer caldera was formed during one or more eruptions, the last of which occurred 9,000 years ago. The 3.2-km-wide inner caldera was formed sometime between 1,500 and 800 years ago. Most historical eruptions, like this one in 1979, have originated from Bagiai cone within the 300-m-deep inner caldera.
An ash plume rises above the summit of Karkar volcano in 1979. There are two nested summit calderas at the summit of the forested volcano resulting in a broad, low profile. The 5.5-km-wide outer caldera was formed during one or more eruptions, the last of which occurred 9,000 years ago. The 3.2-km-wide inner caldera was formed sometime between 1,500 and 800 years ago. Most historical eruptions, like this one in 1979, have originated from Bagiai cone within the 300-m-deep inner caldera. · Photo: Photo by Wally Johnson, 1979 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Papua New Guinea
Region
Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Bismarck Volcanic Arc
Elevation
1839m
Coordinates
-4.647, 145.976
Last eruption
1979
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

Karkar is a 19 x 25 km forest-covered island that is truncated by two nested summit calderas. The 5.5 km outer caldera was formed during one or more eruptions, the last of which occurred 9,000 years ago. The steep-walled 300-m-deep, 3.2 km diameter, inner caldera was formed sometime between 1,500 and 800 years ago. Cones are present on the N and S flanks of this basaltic-to-andesitic volcano; a linear array of small cones extends from the northern rim of the outer caldera nearly to the coast. Recorded eruptions date back to 1643 from Bagiai, a pyroclastic cone constructed within the inner caldera, the floor of which is covered by young, mostly unvegetated andesitic lava flows.

From Wikipedia

Karkar Island is an oval-shaped volcanic island located in the Bismarck Sea, about 74 kilometres (46 mi) off the north coast of mainland Papua New Guinea in Madang Province, from which it is separated by the Isumrud Strait. The island is about 25 km (16 mi) in length and 19 km (12 mi) in width. In the centre is an active volcano with two nested calderas.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
7140 BCE~6835 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 41037 BCE~732 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?488~793 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 4793~1099 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1404~1709 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31709~2014 · 13 eruptions · max VEI 37140 BCE5004 BCE2563 BCE427 BCE1709

Detailed timeline

  1. 2014VEI 1Observed
    2014-03-26 – 2014-03-27
    Uncertain
  2. 2013VEI 3Observed
    2013-01-29 – 2013-03-15
    Bagiai cone
  3. 2012VEI 3Observed
    2012-02-01 – 2012-02-01
    Unknown
  4. 2010VEI 1Observed
    2010-02-25 – 2010-02-26
    Uncertain
  5. 2009VEI ?Geological estimate
    2009-05-01 – Ongoing
  6. 1980VEI 1Geological estimate
    1980-01-07 – 1980-01-17
  7. 1979VEI 2Observed
    1979-01-12 – 1979-08-09
    SE foot of Bagiai
  8. 1974VEI 2Observed
    1974-02-14 – 1974-08-08
    Bagiai
  9. 1974VEI 2Observed
    1974-12-30 – 1975-06-26
    Bagiai
  10. 1962VEI 2Geological estimate
    1962-07-02 – Ongoing
    Ulumam
  11. 1895VEI 2Observed
    1895-06-17 – 1895-08
  12. 1885VEI 2Observed
    1885 – Ongoing
  13. 1830VEI ?Geological estimate
    1830 – Ongoing
  14. 1643VEI 3Observed
    1643-04-20 – Ongoing
  15. 1070 (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1070 – Ongoing
    South flank (Patilo Cone)
  16. 730VEI 4Geological estimate
    730 – Ongoing
  17. 520 (±100 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    520 – Ongoing
  18. 870 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 870 – Ongoing
  19. 7140 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 7140 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.