Global Volcanism Program

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Lolobau.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Lolobau.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Lolobau.

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

252130

1912 CE

878 m / 2,881 ft

4.9156°S
151.1617°E

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Caldera

Volcano Types
Caldera
Stratovolcano
Pyroclastic cone(s)

Rock Types

Major
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Dacite
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

7,243
7,243
9,659
62,340

Geological Summary

Lolobau volcano has grown over the W rim of a 6-km-wide caldera which formed about 12,000 years ago. The 8 x 13 km island is located just off the coast of eastern New Britain. A small lake occupies the SW part of the caldera. A small lava dome (Hulu) caps Mount Lolobau, which has a 0.8 x 1.1 km summit crater breached to the NE. Flank cones are found along the coast of the largely submerged volcano. Several vents within the caldera, on the E flank of the main edifice, have been active during historical time. The latest eruptions took place during the early 20th century.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Cooke R J S, Johnson R W, 1978. Volcanoes and volcanology in Papua New Guinea. Geol Surv Papua New Guinea Rpt, 78/2: 1-46.

Fisher N H, 1957. Melanesia. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 5: 1-105.

Newhall C G, Dzurisin D, 1988. Historical unrest at large calderas of the world. U S Geol Surv Bull, 1855: 1108 p, 2 vol.

Patia H, McKee C O, 1993. Lolobau volcano, Papua New Guinea - cyclic basaltic to rhyodacitic eruptions and phreatomagmatic activity. IAVCEI 1993 Canberra Conf Abs, (revised abs).

Eruptive History

There is data available for 3 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

1911 - 1912 Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

East flank (Sili)

1911 - 1912

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at East flank (Sili)

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
1911	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1908 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 \| Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)
1908 - Unknown				Evidence from Unknown

1904 Aug 9 - 1905 Oct 18 (in or after) Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

East flank (Sili, Malo), Hulu ?

1904 Aug 9 - 1905 Oct 18 (in or after)

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 8 Events for Episode 1 at East flank (Sili, Malo), Hulu ?

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Lapilli
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations
1904 Aug 9	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)
1905	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1100 ± 30 years Confirmed Eruption (Explosive / Effusive) VEI: 4

Episode 1 | Eruption (Explosive / Effusive)

Hulu

1100 ± 30 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Hulu

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Pumice
1100 ± 30 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Synonyms

Duportail

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Giwu Peak

Cone

519 m

4° 55' 33.00" S

151° 12' 41.00" E

Lolobau

Stratovolcano

878 m

4° 54' 55.00" S

151° 9' 27.00" E

Malo

Cone

294 m

4° 55' 9.00" S

151° 11' 13.00" E

Sili
Sile

Cone

323 m

4° 54' 52.00" S

151° 11' 5.00" E

Tiwongo

Cone

30 m

4° 57' 26.00" S

151° 12' 31.00" E

Tobal

Cone

349 m

4° 54' 52.00" S

151° 11' 18.00" E

Domes

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Hulu

Dome

655 m

4° 54' 52.00" S

151° 9' 52.00" E

Photo Gallery

Lolobau volcano (left) is located on the western rim of a caldera that formed about 12,000 years ago on Lolobau Island. It is seen here from the south across Expectation Strait along the NE coast of New Britain. The peak at the right is on the eastern rim of the 6-km-wide caldera. Several vents within the caldera along an E-W-trending line on the E flank have had recorded activity.

Photo by Robert Citron, 1970 (Smithsonian Institution; courtesy of William Melson)

Lolobau Island lies just off the northern coast of New Britain, west of Cape Deschamp. Lolobau was constructed on the western rim of a 6-km-wide caldera. Eruptive activity from vents on the flank was observed in the early 20th century.

Photo by Robert Citron, 1970 (Smithsonian Institution; courtesy of William Melson)

Lolobau is located on the western rim of a 6-km-wide caldera, which formed about 12,000 years ago on the 8 x 13 km Lolobau Island. It is seen here from the south beyond the lower flanks of Ulawun. The smaller peak to the right is located along the eastern caldera rim.

Photo by Robert Citron, 1970 (Smithsonian Institution; courtesy of William Melson)

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Lolobau in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Lolobau. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Lolobau. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of Lolobau

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).