"Activity at Crater 2 remained moderately strong, while a slight decline was evident at Crater 3. Crater 2 activity consisted of continuous emission of pale ash clouds accompanied by occasional low rumbling noises. From 17 November onward, activity increased with occasional forceful eruptions of grey ash clouds, rising several kilometres above the crater, accompanied by loud or deep rumbling and explosion noises. Light ashfalls were recorded on 17, 25, and 28 November in coastal areas 10 km downwind . . . . Steady weak night glow was visible over the crater during the first half of the month, and ejections of glowing lava fragments to ~100 m above the crater rim were observed 17-26 November.

"Crater 3 activity was characterized by gentle pale-grey and blue emissions, and occasional sudden explosive ejections of thick grey ash clouds. Explosion sounds were heard 1-9 and 13-14 November. No night glow was observed.

"There was a further drop in Langila's seismic activity in November as a result of the decline in Crater 3 activity. The summit seismometer continued to record discontinuous tremor-like signals until 23 November. The daily totals of discrete events ranged from 1 to 28."

Geological Summary. Langila, one of the most active volcanoes of New Britain, consists of a group of four small overlapping composite basaltic-andesitic cones on the lower E flank of the extinct Talawe volcano in the Cape Gloucester area of NW New Britain. A rectangular, 2.5-km-long crater is breached widely to the SE; Langila was constructed NE of the breached crater of Talawe. An extensive lava field reaches the coast on the N and NE sides of Langila. Frequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 19th century from three active craters at the summit. The youngest and smallest crater (no. 3 crater) was formed in 1960 and has a diameter of 150 m.

Information Contacts: B. Talai and C. McKee, RVO.