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Anak Krakatau volcano (Indonesia): growing lava dome

Wed, 28 Mar 2012, 17:49 | BY: T
The growing lava dome inside Anak Krakatau's summit crater on 26 March 2012 (photo: Andi Rosati / VolcanoDiscovery)
The growing lava dome inside Anak Krakatau's summit crater on 26 March 2012 (photo: Andi Rosati / VolcanoDiscovery)
The glow from Anak Krakatau seen at night from Rakata Island (26 March, photo: Andi)
The glow from Anak Krakatau seen at night from Rakata Island (26 March, photo: Andi)
Seismic signals recorded on 26 March
Seismic signals recorded on 26 March
An active lava dome is growing inside the summit crater of Krakatau volcano. Our tour expedition leader Andi just returned from a visit and reports that the dome is now about 100 m wide, and has 2 main active vents that eject jets of incandescent gas.
At night, the glow from the dome is clearly visible from Rakata and Sertung islands, and a continuous intense solfatara plume is rising about 500 m above the summit. Andi and our group observed also that there are now more and larger fumarole fields on the southern part of the cone. According to our observations and the opinion of local scientists, this area is inflated due to the pushing of the lava dome.
The seismic recordings from the observatory of Krakatau also show an increase in activity. On 26 March, there were 138 volcanic-tectonic (A-type) earthquakes and 300 long-period (B-type) quakes alone.
The question is how long the lava dome remains quiet and purely effusive in style. Explosive, also larger vulcanian-type ones, activity could occur any time.

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Krakatau volcano
Caldera 813 m (2,667 ft.) / Anak Krakatau: 189 m
Sunda Strait, Indonesia, -6.1°S / 105.42°E
Current status: erupting (4 out of 5) Krakatau volcano eruptions:
1530, 1680-81, 1684, 1883 (Plinian eruption), 1927-30, 1931-32, 1932-34, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938-40, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1946-47, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1958-59, 1959-63, 1965(?), 1969(?), 1972-73, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007-8, April 2009-early 2010, Oct 2010 - March 2011, July-Oct 2011, Jan-May + Sep 2012, 2015(?), 2017, 2018 (22 Dec eruption & tsunami), 2019-ongoing
Typical eruption style
Explosive. Construction of a cinder cone  island (Anak Krakatau) inside the caldera formed by the 1883 eruption. Frequent strombolian activity.
Krakatau Volcano Tours
Java (Indonesia)
From Krakatau to Bali
16-day study and photo tour to Java, Indonesia
16 days / 15 nights - Easy to Moderate
Price 3180 €
Custom and group dates
2-17 Jun 2024
8-23 Jul 2024
2-17 Aug 2024
West Java (Indonesia)
Krakatau Volcano Special
expedition to study & observe Anak Krakatau volcano and its activity
3 -7 days - Easy
Price 1340 €
Custom and group dates
Flores, Indonesia
Indonesia Volcano Special
Volcano expedition to Lewotobi and Ile Lewotolok volcanoes in Feb 2024
7 days (10 days with extension) - Moderate
Price 1750 EUR (7d) / 2480 EUR (10d)
no scheduled dates at present