Umboi

Off New Britain Island


SUMMARY

Type: composite with caldera
Activity: dormant
Last Eruption: ~100,000 yrs BP
Rock Type: ?
Eruptive Volume: ?
Location Map from Xerox PARC
Latitude: 5.59 S
Longitude: 147.88 E


Geologic Background:

Umboi Island, 50 km in its longest dimension, is the largest of the volcanic islands off the north coast of New Guinea. Umboi is comprised of several coalescing stratovolcanoes that are cut by a large 13 x 17 km caldera whose walls rise up to 1 km above its floor. The caldera is widely breached to the sea on the NE side and contains three youthful post-caldera cones with summit crater lakes, Talo, Soal, and Barik. The largest of these cones, Talo, displays several thermal areas. No historical eruptions have been reported at Umboi, but activity of the post-caldera cones is thought to have continued until the last few hundred years.

Historic Activity:

  •  

Recent Activity:

  • Seismic activity during August and September 1985.

Data Sources:

  • Smithsonian's SEAN Bulletin (V. 10, No. 9).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


Last Update: 12/13/00