Raung Volcano (Indonesia) recently erupted, sending a plume of ash 4,000 meters into the atmosphere. This eruption triggered the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) to issue an ash advisory, warning of the potential hazards to aircraft. The ash plume, propelled by prevailing winds, is drifting eastward towards the popular tourist destination of Bali.
Source: Darwin VAAC
Volcanic ashfall ranges from moderate to heavy, potentially impacting visibility and air quality in surrounding areas. Seismic activity is dominated by volcanic tremor, with seismograms showing a maximum tremor amplitude of 9 mm. This sustained tremor suggests ongoing magma movement within the volcano.
Raung Volcano is a stratovolcano located in East Java, Indonesia, characterised by its persistent activity and a prominent caldera. Its eruptive nature is driven by the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, a process that generates the magma fueling its eruptions. These eruptions typically manifest as Strombolian activity, with ash emissions and occasional lava flows. The volcano’s significant caldera, a result of past collapses, serves as a conduit for these eruptions, often producing substantial ash plumes that can pose hazards to aviation and local communities. Raung’s magma composition, tending towards basaltic andesite, influences the nature of its eruptions, affecting their explosivity and the viscosity of the lava flows.
