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Report on Soputan (Indonesia) — 1 October-7 October 2008


Soputan

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 1 October-7 October 2008
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2008. Report on Soputan (Indonesia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 1 October-7 October 2008. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (1 October-7 October 2008)

Soputan

Indonesia

1.112°N, 124.737°E; summit elev. 1785 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Based on visual observations, CVGHM reported that on 6 October a "smoke" plume from Soputan rose to an altitude of 2.8 km (9,200 ft) a.s.l. and incandescent material was ejected 25 m above the summit. The Alert level was raised from 2 to 3 (on a scale of 1-4). Residents and tourists were advised not go within a 6 km radius of the summit.

Analysis of satellite imagery by the Darwin VAAC indicated that on 6 October an ash plume rose to an altitude of 7.6 km (25,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W.

Geological Summary. The Soputan stratovolcano on the southern rim of the Quaternary Tondano caldera on the northern arm of Sulawesi Island is one of Sulawesi's most active volcanoes. The youthful, largely unvegetated volcano is the only active cone in the Sempu-Soputan volcanic complex, which includes the Soputan caldera, Rindengan, and Manimporok (3.5 km ESE). Kawah Masem maar was formed in the W part of the caldera and contains a crater lake; sulfur has been extracted from fumarolic areas in the maar since 1938. Recent eruptions have originated at both the summit crater and Aeseput, a prominent NE-flank vent that formed in 1906 and was the source of intermittent major lava flows until 1924.

Sources: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM), Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)