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Sumbing

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Volcanic Region
  • Landform | Volc Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  • 7.384°S
  • 110.07°E

  • 3,371 m
    11,060 ft

  • 263220
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Weekly Report: 30 July-5 August 2008 Citation IconCite this Report

Based on pilot observations, the Darwin VAAC reported that an eruption plume from Sumbing rose to an altitude of 4.9 km (16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W. Ash was not identified on satellite imagery. [Correction: CVGHM later confirmed that Sumbing did not erupt on 1 August and attributed the plume origin to either a different volcano or a bushfire that was reported in the area.]

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)


Most Recent Bulletin Report: November 2008 (BGVN 33:11) Citation IconCite this Report

False report of an eruption plume in August 2008

The announcement of an eruption in the Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report (30 July-5 August 2008) was later found to be false. The Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) noted that a pilot reported an eruption plume from Sumbing on 1 August 2008. The plume allegedly rose to an altitude of 4.9 km and drifted W. However, ash was not identified on satellite imagery. Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) observers at the local observatory saw only non-eruptive processes at the volcano, and they noted brush fires in September and October. A common problem in this active region occurs when drifting plumes become linked to the wrong volcano. After discussing the field observations, both Darwin VAAC and Indonesia's CVGHM concluded the report was in error. No thermal anomalies have been detected by the MODIS/MODVOLC satellite system for the volcano since 5 October 2006.

The area of Mt. Sumbing, close to Mt. Sundoro (also known as Sindoro) on Java (figure 1), was the subject of a recent study of people's perceptions and reactions to volcanic hazards (Lavignea and others, 2008). Note that there is another stratovolcano named Sumbing on Sumatra. In addition, one of the domes of Kelut (Java) is known as Sumbing.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Area around the twin active volcanoes of Sumbing and Sundoro. Note the nearby volcanological observatory at Gentingsari. The circles around the volcano summits represent radii of ~4 and 6 km from the summit. From Lavignea and others (2008).

Reference. Lavignea, F., De Costerb, B., Juvinb, N., Flohicb, F., Gaillardc, J-C., Texierd, P., Morine, J., and Sartohadif, J., 2008, People's behaviour in the face of volcanic hazards: Perspectives from Javanese communities, Indonesia: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 172 (3-4), p. 273-287.

Information Contacts: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), Bureau of Meteorology, Northern Territory Regional Office, PO Box 40050, Casuarina, NT 0811, Australia (URL: http://www.bom.gov.au/info/vaac/); Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM), Saut Simatupang, 57, Bandung 40122, Indonesia (URL: http://vsi.esdm.go.id/).

Weekly Reports - Index


2008: July


30 July-5 August 2008 Citation IconCite this Report

Based on pilot observations, the Darwin VAAC reported that an eruption plume from Sumbing rose to an altitude of 4.9 km (16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W. Ash was not identified on satellite imagery. [Correction: CVGHM later confirmed that Sumbing did not erupt on 1 August and attributed the plume origin to either a different volcano or a bushfire that was reported in the area.]

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)


Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

11/2008 (BGVN 33:11) False report of an eruption plume in August 2008




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


November 2008 (BGVN 33:11) Citation IconCite this Report

False report of an eruption plume in August 2008

The announcement of an eruption in the Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report (30 July-5 August 2008) was later found to be false. The Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) noted that a pilot reported an eruption plume from Sumbing on 1 August 2008. The plume allegedly rose to an altitude of 4.9 km and drifted W. However, ash was not identified on satellite imagery. Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) observers at the local observatory saw only non-eruptive processes at the volcano, and they noted brush fires in September and October. A common problem in this active region occurs when drifting plumes become linked to the wrong volcano. After discussing the field observations, both Darwin VAAC and Indonesia's CVGHM concluded the report was in error. No thermal anomalies have been detected by the MODIS/MODVOLC satellite system for the volcano since 5 October 2006.

The area of Mt. Sumbing, close to Mt. Sundoro (also known as Sindoro) on Java (figure 1), was the subject of a recent study of people's perceptions and reactions to volcanic hazards (Lavignea and others, 2008). Note that there is another stratovolcano named Sumbing on Sumatra. In addition, one of the domes of Kelut (Java) is known as Sumbing.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Area around the twin active volcanoes of Sumbing and Sundoro. Note the nearby volcanological observatory at Gentingsari. The circles around the volcano summits represent radii of ~4 and 6 km from the summit. From Lavignea and others (2008).

Reference. Lavignea, F., De Costerb, B., Juvinb, N., Flohicb, F., Gaillardc, J-C., Texierd, P., Morine, J., and Sartohadif, J., 2008, People's behaviour in the face of volcanic hazards: Perspectives from Javanese communities, Indonesia: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 172 (3-4), p. 273-287.

Information Contacts: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), Bureau of Meteorology, Northern Territory Regional Office, PO Box 40050, Casuarina, NT 0811, Australia (URL: http://www.bom.gov.au/info/vaac/); Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM), Saut Simatupang, 57, Bandung 40122, Indonesia (URL: http://vsi.esdm.go.id/).

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.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 1 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

1730 (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 1

Episode 1 | Eruption
1730 (?) - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
1730
(?)
   - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Sumbing.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Sumbing.

Photo Gallery

Sumbing rises above rice fields immediately to the SE of Sundoro volcano. An 800-m-wide crater at the summit is breached to the NE, and flank cones are located on the N and SW sides. A phreatic explosion from the summit crater was reported in 1730.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1995 (Smithsonian Institution).
Gunung Sumbing is seen here from the NNW. During one of the more recent eruptions a lava dome was emplaced in the summit crater and a lava flow traveled down the NE flank.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1995 (Smithsonian Institution).
An aerial view from the NW looks across the summit crater complex of Gunung Sundoro volcano towards Gunung Sumbing. These roughly 3,000-m-high volcanoes form prominent landmarks between the Dieng volcanic complex and the city of Yogyakarta. Both volcanoes have erupted in historical time.

Photo published in Taverne, 1926 "Vulkaanstudien op Java," (courtesy of Volcanological Survey of Indonesia).
A lava dome fills the summit crater of Gunung Sumbing. This view from the south shows the breached NE crater rim. The upper light-colored area on the left is a small pond, and the lower is a fumarolic area.

Photo published in Taverne, 1926 "Vulkaanstudien op Java," (courtesy of Volcanological Survey of Indonesia).
The two small peaks to the left are part of the Telomoyo volcanic complex, which was constructed along a NNW-SSE-trending line of volcanoes extending from Ungaran in the N to Merapi in the S. Telomoyo filled much of the southern side of a depression formed by collapse of the Pleistocene Soropati volcano and grew to a height of 600 m above its rim. The two large peaks in the background are Sumbing (L) and Sundoro (R), with Slamet volcano on the far-right horizon.

Photo by Hideko and Minoru Kusakabe, 2000 (Okayama University).
GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

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

External Sites