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Report on Kerinci (Indonesia) — November 1996


Kerinci

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 21, no. 11 (November 1996)
Managing Editor: Richard Wunderman.

Kerinci (Indonesia) Seismic signals and some ash-bearing plumes

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1996. Report on Kerinci (Indonesia) (Wunderman, R., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 21:11. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199611-261170



Kerinci

Indonesia

1.697°S, 101.264°E; summit elev. 3800 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Seismic signals during August through 20 September (1- 10 mm amplitude) arrived at ~5-minute intervals. This behavior preceded ash-bearing emissions up to 800 m above the summit, ~4x higher than those normally seen. By the end of September, both the seismic signals and emissions dropped, the latter reaching ~600 m high.

Activity continued to decrease during October. White vapor was released from the crater and rose 800 m with occasional small explosions. During October seismic signals had a maximum amplitude of 7 mm.

Geological Summary. Gunung Kerinci in central Sumatra forms Indonesia's highest volcano and is one of the most active in Sumatra. It is capped by an unvegetated young summit cone that was constructed NE of an older crater remnant. There is a deep 600-m-wide summit crater often partially filled by a small crater lake that lies on the NE crater floor, opposite the SW-rim summit. The massive 13 x 25 km wide volcano towers 2400-3300 m above surrounding plains and is elongated in a N-S direction. Frequently active, Kerinci has been the source of numerous moderate explosive eruptions since its first recorded eruption in 1838.

Information Contacts: Wimpy S. Tjetjep, Volcanological Survey of Indonesia, Jalan Diponegoro No. 57, Bandung 40122, Indonesia.