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Long Island

Complex volcano · Papua New Guinea · 1263m

The broad profile of Long Island, seen here from the E, is composed of two steep-sided edifices, Mount Reaumur to the north (center) and Cerisy Peak to the south. Collapse of the volcanic complex during at least three major explosive eruptions about 16,000, 4,000, and 300 years ago produced a large 10 x 12.5 km caldera, whose low rim appears at the right.
The broad profile of Long Island, seen here from the E, is composed of two steep-sided edifices, Mount Reaumur to the north (center) and Cerisy Peak to the south. Collapse of the volcanic complex during at least three major explosive eruptions about 16,000, 4,000, and 300 years ago produced a large 10 x 12.5 km caldera, whose low rim appears at the right. · Photo: Photo by Russel Blong, 1976 (Macquarie University). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Complex volcano
Country
Papua New Guinea
Region
Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Bismarck Volcanic Arc
Elevation
1263m
Coordinates
-5.314, 147.105
Last eruption
1993
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

The broad profile of Long Island is dominated by two steep-sided stratovolcanoes, Mount Reaumur in the north and Cerisy Peak in the south. Collapse of the basaltic-andesitic volcanic complex produced a large 10 x 12.5 km caldera, now filled by Lake Wisdom. Caldera formation occurred during at least three major explosive eruptions, about 16,000, 4,000, and 300 years ago. The most recent deposited andesitic tephra across the New Guinea Highlands, prompting legends of a "Time of Darkness." Post-caldera eruptions have constructed a small cone, Motmot Island, in the south-central part of Lake Wisdom. Moderate explosive eruptions have occurred during the 20th century from vents at and near Motmot Island.

From Wikipedia

Long Island is a populated volcanic island in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. It is located north of the island of New Guinea, separated from it by the Vitiaz Strait. The island's interior contains a 360 m-deep (1,180 ft) freshwater volcanic crater lake and within that lake exists an even smaller island known as Motmot island. During the late 17th or early 18th century virtually all of the biota on the island was destroyed and has subsequently provided scientists a unique opportunity to study recolonization efforts by plants, animals, and humans. The vast majority of the buildings on the island are constructed using vernacular architecture.

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Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
2040 BCE~1848 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 61609~1801 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 61801~1993 · 10 eruptions · max VEI 32040 BCE1080 BCE120 BCE8411801

Detailed timeline

  1. 1993VEI 1Observed
    1993-11-03 – 1993-11-25
    E-W fissure NNE of Motmot Island
  2. 1976VEI 1Observed
    1976-01-02 – Ongoing
    Motmot
  3. 1973VEI 2Observed
    1973-04-16 – 1974-02-28
    Motmot
  4. 1968VEI 2Observed
    1968-03-16 – 1968-06-12
    Motmot
  5. 1961VEI ?Geological estimate
    1961-07-02 – Ongoing
    Motmot
  6. 1955VEI 3Observed
    1955-06-05 – 1955-06-13
    Motmot
  7. 1953VEI 3Observed
    1953-05-08 – 1954-01-07
    Motmot
  8. 1943VEI ?Observed
    1943 – Ongoing
    Motmot
  9. 1938VEI ?Observed
    1938 – Ongoing
    Lake Wisdom
  10. 1933VEI ?Observed
    1933 – Ongoing
    Lake Wisdom
  11. 1660 (±20 yrs)VEI 6Geological estimate
    1660 – Ongoing
  12. 2040 BCE (±110 yrs)VEI 6Geological estimate
    BCE 2040 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.