Ulawun
Encyclopedia
Ulawun is a basalt
ic and andesitic stratovolcano
situated on the island of New Britain
, Papua New Guinea
, about 130 km southwest of Rabaul
. It is the highest mountain in the Bismarck Archipelago
at 2334 metres (7,657 ft), and one of the most active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea. The first recorded eruption of Ulawun was by William Dampier
in 1700. Several thousand people live near the volcano; there have been 22 recorded eruptions since the 18th century.
Volcanoes in Papua New Guinea are some of the world's most prolific sources of sulphur dioxide. Recent studies have shown that Ulawun releases about 7 kg/s of SO2, which is about 2% of the global total of SO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic and andesitic stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
situated on the island of New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, about 130 km southwest of Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
. It is the highest mountain in the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
at 2334 metres (7,657 ft), and one of the most active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea. The first recorded eruption of Ulawun was by William Dampier
William Dampier
William Dampier was an English buccaneer, sea captain, author and scientific observer...
in 1700. Several thousand people live near the volcano; there have been 22 recorded eruptions since the 18th century.
Recent activity
The last few years have seen almost constant activity at Ulawun, with frequent small explosions.Volcanoes in Papua New Guinea are some of the world's most prolific sources of sulphur dioxide. Recent studies have shown that Ulawun releases about 7 kg/s of SO2, which is about 2% of the global total of SO2 emissions into the atmosphere.