Report on Ulawun (Papua New Guinea) — May 1986
Ulawun
Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 11, no. 5 (May 1986)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.
Ulawun (Papua New Guinea) Tremor & low-frequency seismicity but no eruptions seen
Global Volcanism Program, 1986. Report on Ulawun (Papua New Guinea) (McClelland, L., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 11:5. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198605-252120
5.05°S, 151.33°E; summit elev. 2334 m
"On 10 May, unusual low-frequency events and harmonic tremor were recorded for ~3 hours. Smaller bursts of tremor lasting a few minutes each were also recorded on 13 and 15 May. There was no visible volcanic activity associated with the seismic activity, although the summit was not visible for much of this time."
Geological Summary. The symmetrical basaltic-to-andesitic Ulawun stratovolcano is the highest volcano of the Bismarck arc, and one of Papua New Guinea's most frequently active. The volcano, also known as the Father, rises above the N coast of the island of New Britain across a low saddle NE of Bamus volcano, the South Son. The upper 1,000 m is unvegetated. A prominent E-W escarpment on the south may be the result of large-scale slumping. Satellitic cones occupy the NW and E flanks. A steep-walled valley cuts the NW side, and a flank lava-flow complex lies to the south of this valley. Historical eruptions date back to the beginning of the 18th century. Twentieth-century eruptions were mildly explosive until 1967, but after 1970 several larger eruptions produced lava flows and basaltic pyroclastic flows, greatly modifying the summit crater.
Information Contacts: P. Lowenstein, RVO.