Category: lectures

A Working Paper Merapi, History and Future Changes - Merapi Volcano, in the central part of Java, is regarded as the most active and most dangerous volcano in Indonesia. Merapi is a young stratovolcano with a total volume estimated between about 100 and 150 km3, according to the importance given to the Pre-Merapi (Berthommier, 1990). A strong uncertainty remains concerning the beginning of its activity. Information on Merapi eruptive activity is scattered. A concise and well-documented summary of this activity has been long needed to assist researchers and hazard-mitigation efforts. The present effusion rate is about 105 m3/month (Siswowidjoyo et al., 1995); if we assume a constant rate since the beginning, Mount Merapi could be between 8300 and 125 000 years old. On the basis of field studies and geochronological data, its history is divided into four Periods: Ancient, Middle, Recent and Modern Merapi. The Ancient Period may have begun around 40 000 y BP and lasted until 14 000 y...