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Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) — October 1988


Langila

Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 13, no. 10 (October 1988)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.

Langila (Papua New Guinea) Two Vulcanian explosions; glow

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1988. Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) (McClelland, L., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 13:10. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198810-252010



Langila

Papua New Guinea

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

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


"Activity increased slightly in October. Weak to moderate white with occasional grey emission continued from Crater 2 throughout the month. Steady weak glow was observed for about a week (5-11 October) at Crater 2. Two loud Vulcanian explosions occurred on the 27th and 30th. Crater 3 remained relatively inactive with only weak white and grey emissions on 1, 5, 8, 9, and 17 October."

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: D. Lolok, B. Talai, and P. Lowenstein, RVO.