Parker

Philippines - Mindanao

SUMMARY:

Type: composite with caldera
Activity: dormant
Last Eruption: unknown
Rock Type: ?
Eruptive Volume: ? cu km
Location Map from Xerox PARC
Latitude: 6.07 N
Longitude: 124.54 E

Geologic Background:

Parker is located about 30 km west of General Santos City in South Cotabato Province on southern Mindanao Island. Parker volcano, also known locally as Falen, is a low, vegetated stratovolcano overlooking Sarangani Bay near the southern tip of Mindanao Island. The steep-sided, 1824-m-high stratovolcano is surrounded by extensive, youthful pyroclastic-flow deposits that suggest parallels to Pinatubo volcano. The summit of Parker is truncated by a 2.9-km-wide caldera with steep-sided walls that rise 200-500 m above heart-shaped Maughan Lake. This volcano was unknown to most volcanologists until recent years, but it is now known to have been the source of a major explosive eruption in 1641 that was previously attributed to Awu volcano on Sangihe Island, Indonesia and caused darkness over the island of Mindanao. The 1641 eruption included the emplacement of voluminous pyroclastic flows and lahars and resulted in the formation of the summit caldera. This was the last of three major explosive eruptions from Parker during the last 3800 years.

Historic Activity:

  • An eruption originally attributed to Awu (Sangihe Islands, Indonesia) in 1640-41 was actually from Parker.

Recent Activity:

  • The overflow of Maughan Lake, the crater lake at Parker volcano, followed heavy rains associated with a passing typhoon.

Data Sources

  • Global Volcanism Network (V. 20, No. 9).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Last Update: 12/12/00