A strong explosive eruption at Karkar volcano in Papua New Guinea in 1979 stripped the southern caldera wall of vegetation, exposing a cross-section of the interior of the stratovolcano. The 300-m-high caldera wall shows thin layers of light-colored lava flows separated by intervening pyroclastic layers, reflecting the repetitive effusive and explosive eruptions that built the volcano. Narrow vertical dikes, the feeder conduits for lava flows, are visible at several locations in the caldera wall.

Copyrighted photo by Katia and Maurice Krafft, 1979.

Copyrighted image used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Contact photographer for any usage requests.

Karkar