Report on Lokon-Empung (Indonesia) — 8 February-14 February 2012
Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 8 February-14 February 2012
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2012. Report on Lokon-Empung (Indonesia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 8 February-14 February 2012. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
Lokon-Empung
Indonesia
1.358°N, 124.792°E; summit elev. 1580 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
According to news articles, an explosion from the Tompaluan crater, in the saddle between the Lokon-Empung peaks, produced an ash plume that rose as high as 2 km above the crater on 10 February; loud "thumping" noises were also heard. Based on information from CVGHM, the Darwin VAAC reported ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 3-3.4 km (10,000-11,000 ft) a.s.l. during 10-12 February, though clouds prevented the detection of ash in satellite imagery.
Geological Summary. The Lokong-Empung volcanic complex, rising above the plain of Tondano in North Sulawesi, includes four peaks and an active crater. Lokon, the highest peak, has a flat craterless top. The morphologically younger Empung cone 2 km NE has a 400-m-wide, 150-m-deep crater that erupted last in the 18th century. A ridge extending 3 km WNW from Lokon includes the Tatawiran and Tetempangan peaks. All eruptions since 1829 have originated from Tompaluan, a 150 x 250 m crater in the saddle between Lokon and Empung. These eruptions have primarily produced small-to-moderate ash plumes that sometimes damaged croplands and houses, but lava-dome growth and pyroclastic flows have also occurred.
Sources: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), Antara News, CNN