Mount Papandayan
Encyclopedia
Mount Papandayan is a complex stratovolcano
, located in Garut
Regency, to the southeast of the city of Bandung
in West Java
, Indonesia
. It is about 15 km to the southwest of the town of Garut
. At the summit, there are four large crater
s which contain active fumarole
fields. An eruption in 1772 caused the northeast flank to collapse producing a catastrophic debris avalanche that destroyed 40 villages and killed nearly 3,000 people. The eruption truncated the volcano into a broad shape with two peaks and a flat area 1.1 km wide with Alun-Alun crater in the middle, making the mountain look like a twin volcano. One of the peaks is called Papandayan and the other Mount Puntang.
Since 1772, only small phreatic eruption
s were recorded before an explosive eruption
that began in November 2002. More recently, the volcano has been quite active. On 14 August 2011 the volcano's warning status was lifted from Level II, "Vigilant" (Indonesian: Waspada) to Level III, "Alert" (Indonesian: Siaga) following the emission of dangerous hydrogen sulfide
and carbon monoxide
gases. People, including tourists, were urged to remain at least 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the yellow craters on the 2,665-meter (8,743-foot) Mount Papandayan. On Friday 2 September 2011, the Indonesian Volcanology and Geophysical Disaster Mitigation Center reported that numerous shallow volcanic earthquakes had been recorded along with other indications of volcanic activity. A spokesperson for the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency noted that if Mt Papandayan erupted, over 170,000 people living in five nearby subdistricts (kecamatan) and in 20 villages could be affected. Of the people likely to be affected, it was expected that perhaps as many as 11,500 people might need to be evacuated.
emitting smoke and hot fumes from its inner sides.
in the nearby Bandung District
to the west of Mt Papandayan.
Above the crater is an elfin forest
and several meadows with Javanese edelweiss
.
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...
, located in Garut
Garut
Garut is a town in the West Java province of Indonesia and is the capital of the Garut Regency. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung.-History:...
Regency, to the southeast of the city of Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
in West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
, 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...
. It is about 15 km to the southwest of the town of Garut
Garut
Garut is a town in the West Java province of Indonesia and is the capital of the Garut Regency. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung.-History:...
. At the summit, there are four large crater
Volcanic crater
A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a basin, circular in form within which occurs a vent from which magma erupts as gases, lava, and ejecta. A crater can be of large dimensions, and sometimes of great depth...
s which contain active 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...
fields. An eruption in 1772 caused the northeast flank to collapse producing a catastrophic debris avalanche that destroyed 40 villages and killed nearly 3,000 people. The eruption truncated the volcano into a broad shape with two peaks and a flat area 1.1 km wide with Alun-Alun crater in the middle, making the mountain look like a twin volcano. One of the peaks is called Papandayan and the other Mount Puntang.
Since 1772, only small 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 were recorded before an explosive eruption
Explosive eruption
An explosive eruption is a volcanic term to describe a violent, explosive type of eruption. Mount St. Helens in 1980 was an example. Such an eruption is driven by gas accumulating under great pressure. Driven by hot rising magma, it interacts with ground water until the pressure increases to the...
that began in November 2002. More recently, the volcano has been quite active. On 14 August 2011 the volcano's warning status was lifted from Level II, "Vigilant" (Indonesian: Waspada) to Level III, "Alert" (Indonesian: Siaga) following the emission of dangerous hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of expired eggs perceptible at concentrations as low as 0.00047 parts per million...
and carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
gases. People, including tourists, were urged to remain at least 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the yellow craters on the 2,665-meter (8,743-foot) Mount Papandayan. On Friday 2 September 2011, the Indonesian Volcanology and Geophysical Disaster Mitigation Center reported that numerous shallow volcanic earthquakes had been recorded along with other indications of volcanic activity. A spokesperson for the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency noted that if Mt Papandayan erupted, over 170,000 people living in five nearby subdistricts (kecamatan) and in 20 villages could be affected. Of the people likely to be affected, it was expected that perhaps as many as 11,500 people might need to be evacuated.
Volcanism
Mount Papandayan is a large composite volcano. It is constructed of alternating layers of lava and ash, and other fragmental volcanic rock debris formed by explosive eruptions over the past several hundred years. A large horseshoe-shape crater extended to the northeast resulting in an avalanche deposit consisted of intermixed volcanic debris and alternated rocks, with steep-sided crater walls. Numerous small vents within the crater, known as Kawah Mas, Kawah Baru, Kawah Nangklak, Kawah Manuk and many other with solfatarasFumarole
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...
emitting smoke and hot fumes from its inner sides.
Tourism
The Mount Papandayan area is a popular tourist site. Tourists can walk across the crater and view phenomena such as bubbling mud pools, steam vents and sulfur deposits. The bubbling yellow crater (Kawah Papandayan or "Papandayan Crater") is a popular sight. There are various other volcanic craters in the area to the south of Bandung as well. Another volcanic crater in the same region with easy access is Kawah PutihKawah Putih
Kawah Putih is a striking crater lake and tourist spot in a volcanic crater about 50 km south of Bandung in West Java in Indonesia.Kawah Putih lake is one of the two craters which make up Mount Patuha, an andesitic stratovolcano . Mt Patuha is one of numerous volcanoes in Java. The Kawah...
in the nearby Bandung District
Bandung Regency
Bandung Regency is an administrative district located to the south, southeast and east of the city of Bandung. Parts of the Bandung Regency are effectively part of the Bandung Metropolitan Area. The Regency is part of the Indonesian province of West Java, about 75 miles south of Jakarta...
to the west of Mt Papandayan.
Above the crater is an elfin forest
Elfin forest
-Residential community:Elfin Forest is an unincorporated residential community of San Diego County in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The quiet grouping of homes is southwest of Escondido and according to the USGS it is located at in the Escondido zip code of 92029...
and several meadows with Javanese edelweiss
Anaphalis javanica
Anaphalis javanica or Javanese Edelweiss is a flowering plant species endemic to Indonesia. They are found mostly in mountainous regions of Java, southern Sumatra, southern Sulawesi and Lombok. Although a mature plant can reach eight metres in height, most specimens are less than a metre tall. The...
.