Kelimutu
Encyclopedia
Kelimutu is a volcano
, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island
of Indonesia
containing three summit crater lake
s of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis. Subaqueous fumarole
s are the probable cause of active upwelling
that occurs at the two eastern lakes.
The lake have been a source of minor phreatic eruption
s in historical time. The summit of the compound 1639-m-high Kelimutu volcano is elongated two km in a WNW-ESE direction; the older cones
of Kelido and Kelibara are located respectively three km to the north and two km to the south. The scenic lakes are a popular tourist destination
. Keli Mutu is also of interest to geologists because the three lakes are different colors yet reside at the crest of the same volcano .
According to the local officer at Kelimutu National Park, the colour changed by chemical reaction of any minerals contained in the lake in triggered by volcano gas activity.
The closest airports are Maumere
, and Ende
. There are regular flights to Maumere from Bali. The drive from Maumere to Moni, the town at the base of Keli Mutu, takes about 3 hours.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island
Flores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers".Flores is located east of Sumbawa...
of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
containing three summit crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
s of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis. Subaqueous fumarole
Fumarole
A fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...
s are the probable cause of active upwelling
Upwelling
Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The increased availability in upwelling regions results in high levels of primary...
that occurs at the two eastern lakes.
The lake have been a source of minor phreatic eruption
Phreatic eruption
A phreatic eruption, also called a phreatic explosion or ultravulcanian eruption, occurs when rising magma makes contact with ground or surface water. The extreme temperature of the magma causes near-instantaneous evaporation to steam, resulting in an explosion of steam, water, ash, rock, and...
s in historical time. The summit of the compound 1639-m-high Kelimutu volcano is elongated two km in a WNW-ESE direction; the older cones
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...
of Kelido and Kelibara are located respectively three km to the north and two km to the south. The scenic lakes are a popular tourist destination
Tourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
. Keli Mutu is also of interest to geologists because the three lakes are different colors yet reside at the crest of the same volcano .
According to the local officer at Kelimutu National Park, the colour changed by chemical reaction of any minerals contained in the lake in triggered by volcano gas activity.
The closest airports are Maumere
Maumere
Maumere is the largest town of Flores, Indonesia and the centre of business. It lies on the north coast of the island and the port is in the northwest part of the town. The Maumere Airport is located in Maumere...
, and Ende
Ende, Indonesia
Ende is the capital of the Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. Ende is located on the southern coast of Flores Island. The city has a population of 60,000 residents.-History:...
. There are regular flights to Maumere from Bali. The drive from Maumere to Moni, the town at the base of Keli Mutu, takes about 3 hours.
External links
- Volume 28, No. 3, pp. 137-306 of the Geochemical Journal is a special issue of the journal dedicated to Volcanic lakes.
- Keli Mutu blog