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Barren Island (Andaman Islands)
Encyclopedia
Barren Island is located in the Andaman Sea
, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands
. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia
. Along with the rest of the Andamans, it is a part of the India
n Union Territory
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, th the most recent one which started in May 2008.
After the first recorded eruption in 1787, further eruptions were recorded in 1789, 1795, 1803–04, and 1852. After nearly one and half century of dormancy, the island had another eruption in 1991 that lasted six months and caused considerable damage. There were eruptions in 1994–95 and 2005–07, the ladder being considered to be linked to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
. The most recent eruption started in May 2008 and still continues.
it is located
This volcanic island stands in the midst of a volcanic belt on the edge of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates. Narcondum is a dormant volcano in the area, apart from volcanic seamounts like Alcock and Sewell.
All the historical and recent eruptions (1787 and after) are confined within and around an active polygenetic cinder cone
in a 2 km wide caldera
that is formed by the collapse of a primitive cone of a stratovolcano
. The remnant of the primitive volcanic cone
forms a precipitous cliff around the island (commonly referred as caldera
wall), with a break towards the west. The highest elevation on the island is 354 metres (1,161 ft), with most of the primitive volcano underwater (standing on the seafloor 2250 meters below the sea level). The island is 3 km in diameter, with a total surface area of 10 km².
True to its name, it is a barren area uninhabited by humans, though it has a small population of goat
s. Also birds, bat
s like flying foxes
and a few rodent
species such as rat
s are known to survive the harsh conditions.
External links
Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea or Burma Sea is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Burma, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands, India; it is part of the Indian Ocean....
, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. Along with the rest of the Andamans, it is a part of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, th the most recent one which started in May 2008.
After the first recorded eruption in 1787, further eruptions were recorded in 1789, 1795, 1803–04, and 1852. After nearly one and half century of dormancy, the island had another eruption in 1991 that lasted six months and caused considerable damage. There were eruptions in 1994–95 and 2005–07, the ladder being considered to be linked to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
. The most recent eruption started in May 2008 and still continues.
it is located
All the historical and recent eruptions (1787 and after) are confined within and around an active polygenetic cinder cone
Cinder cone
According to the , Cinder Cone is the proper name of 1 cinder cone in Canada and 7 cinder cones in the United States:In Canada: Cinder Cone In the United States:...
in a 2 km wide caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
that is formed by the collapse of a primitive cone of a 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...
. The remnant of the primitive volcanic cone
Volcanic cone
Volcanic cones are among the simplest volcanic formations. They are built by ejecta from a volcanic vent, piling up around the vent in the shape of a cone with a central crater. Volcanic cones are of different types, depending upon the nature and size of the fragments ejected during the eruption...
forms a precipitous cliff around the island (commonly referred as caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
wall), with a break towards the west. The highest elevation on the island is 354 metres (1,161 ft), with most of the primitive volcano underwater (standing on the seafloor 2250 meters below the sea level). The island is 3 km in diameter, with a total surface area of 10 km².
True to its name, it is a barren area uninhabited by humans, though it has a small population of goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s. Also birds, bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s like flying foxes
Pteropus
Bats of the genus Pteropus, belonging to the megabat or Megachiroptera sub-order, are the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as the fruit bats or flying foxes among other colloquial names...
and a few rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
species such as rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s are known to survive the harsh conditions.
External links