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Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) — May 1990


Langila

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 15, no. 5 (May 1990)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.

Langila (Papua New Guinea) Vapor emission, glow, periodic explosions

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1990. Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) (McClelland, L., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 15:5. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199005-252010



Langila

Papua New Guinea

5.525°S, 148.42°E; summit elev. 1330 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


"A low level of activity prevailed at Langila. Crater 2 released white vapour in moderate amount during the first half of the month, when a steady night glow could be seen (until the 17th). From the 20th onward, 1-3 explosion earthquakes were recorded daily while background seismicity remained at a low level. The amount of vapour released by Crater 2 decreased in the last week of May. Crater 3 remained inactive, apart from thin white vapour released by fumaroles in the crater."

Geological Summary. Langila, one of the most active volcanoes of New Britain, consists of a group of four small overlapping composite basaltic-andesitic cones on the lower E flank of the extinct Talawe volcano in the Cape Gloucester area of NW New Britain. A rectangular, 2.5-km-long crater is breached widely to the SE; Langila was constructed NE of the breached crater of Talawe. An extensive lava field reaches the coast on the N and NE sides of Langila. Frequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 19th century from three active craters at the summit. The youngest and smallest crater (no. 3 crater) was formed in 1960 and has a diameter of 150 m.

Information Contacts: P. de Saint-Ours and C. McKee, RVO.