Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) — December 1990
Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 15, no. 12 (December 1990)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.
Langila (Papua New Guinea) Weak ash emission and glow; seismicity declines
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 1990. Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) (McClelland, L., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 15:12. Smithsonian Institution.
Volcano Profile | Complete Bulletin
Langila
5.525°S, 148.42°E; summit elev. 1330 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
"Activity was at a moderate-low level in December. Crater 2 occasionally emitted weak-to-moderate white and grey vapour and ash clouds. Weak rumbling from Crater 2 was heard 12 December. Steady weak red glow from this crater was observed at night on 7, 8, 12-17, 28, and 31 December. Activity at Crater 3 was similar to that at Crater 2. Night glow from the crater was seen once, on 7 December.
"Seismic activity was at a moderate level during the first half of the month (up to ~30 explosion earthquakes/day), but declined to a low level at mid-month. During the second half of the month, daily totals of volcanic earthquakes were in the range 0-4."
Geologic Background. Langila, one of the most active volcanoes of New Britain, consists of a group of four small overlapping composite basaltic-andesitic cones on the lower eastern flank of the extinct Talawe volcano. Talawe is the highest volcano in the Cape Gloucester area of NW New Britain. A rectangular, 2.5-km-long crater is breached widely to the SE; Langila volcano was constructed NE of the breached crater of Talawe. An extensive lava field reaches the coast on the north and NE sides of Langila. Frequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 19th century from three active craters at the summit of Langila. The youngest and smallest crater (no. 3 crater) was formed in 1960 and has a diameter of 150 m.
Information Contacts: B. Talai, RVO.