Report on Dieng Volcanic Complex (Indonesia) — May 2002
Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 27, no. 5 (May 2002)
Managing Editor: Richard Wunderman.
Dieng Volcanic Complex (Indonesia) Increase in seismicity and plume emission beginning in April 2002
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2002. Report on Dieng Volcanic Complex (Indonesia) (Wunderman, R., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 27:5. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN200205-263200
Dieng Volcanic Complex
Indonesia
7.2°S, 109.879°E; summit elev. 2565 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
The last reported activity at Dieng occurred during late June and early July 1998, when three M ~2 earthquakes were felt and a white steam plume was emitted from Sileri crater to a height of 50 m (BGVN 23:08). During April 2002, the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (VSI) reported that activity at Dieng increased. Beginning on 19 April the number of deep and shallow volcanic earthquakes increased (table 1), and a white plume of variable thickness rose 25-50 m above Sileri crater. The temperatures of fumaroles in various craters were 50-95°C (table 2). Dieng remained at Alert Level 2 through at least 26 May 2002.
Table 1. Earthquakes recorded at Dieng during 15 April through 19 May 2002. Courtesy VSI.
| Date | Deep volcanic (A-type) | Shallow volcanic (B-type) | Far Tectonic | Local Tectonic |
| 15 Apr-21 Apr 2002 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 Apr-28 Apr 2002 | 75 | 121 | 1 | 1 |
| 29 Apr-05 May 2002 | 18 | 64 | 0 | 0 |
| 06 May-12 May 2002 | 6 | 82 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 May-19 May 2002 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 0 |
Table 2. Temperatures of various craters of Dieng during 15 April through 12 May 2002. "--" indicates that the information was not reported. Courtesy VSI.
| Date | Sikidang | Sibateng | Sileri | Condrodimuko | Sinila | Siglagah | Bitingan | Pagerkandang |
| 15 Apr-21 Apr 2002 | 90-94°C | 91-94°C | 68°C | 90-93°C | 70-74°C | 90-94°C | -- | -- |
| 22 Apr-28 Apr 2002 | 91-95°C | 92-94°C | 69°C | -- | 76-75°C | -- | 50-57°C | 90-94°C |
| 29 Apr-05 May 2002 | -- | -- | -- | 90-93°C | 74-75°C | -- | -- | -- |
| 06 May-12 May 2002 | -- | -- | 69°C | -- | -- | -- | 50-56°C | -- |
Geological Summary. The Dieng plateau in the highlands of central Java is renowned both for the variety of its volcanic scenery and as a sacred area housing Java's oldest Hindu temples, dating back to the 9th century CE. The Dieng Volcanic Complex consists of multiple stratovolcanoes and more than 20 small Pleistocene-to-Holocene craters and cones over a 6 x 14 km area. Prahu stratovolcano was truncated by a large Pleistocene caldera, which was subsequently filled by a series of cones, lava domes, and craters, many containing lakes. Lava flows cover much of the plateau, but observed activity has been restricted to minor phreatic eruptions. Gas emissions are a hazard at several craters and have caused fatalities. There are abundant thermal features and high heat flow across the area.
Information Contacts: Dali Ahmad, Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (VSI), Jalan Diponegoro No. 57, Bandung 40122, Indonesia (URL: http://www.vsi.esdm.go.id/).
