Geologic Background:
Loloru, the SE-most volcano on Bougainville
Island, is the source of a broad ignimbrite apron that
covers much of the southern part of the island. The
summit consists of two nested calderas, and a forested
lava dome that restricts a crescent-shaped lake to the
eastern side of the younger caldera. The smooth flanks of
the pyroclastic shield are dissected by radiating deep
valleys. A pristine lava flow occurs on the SE flank.
Loloru is constructed within the 10 x 15 km Pleistocene
Laluai caldera. The topographically higher Taroka group
of volcanoes to the NW and the Takuan group to the north
also were constructed within the caldera and served to
deflect the bulk of Loloru ignimbrites to the south. The
most recent of several major Holocene explosive eruptions
at Loloru took place about 3,000 years ago.
Historic Activity:
- Has not been historically active.
Recent Activity:
Data Sources:
- Smithsonian's SEAN Bulletin (V. 9, No. 10 to V. 13,
No. 4)
- Global Volcanism Network (V. 20, No. 8).
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