"The intermittent eruptive activity . . . continued until mid-December. There was no eruptive activity during the second half of the month. Main Crater continued to release weak to moderate volumes of white vapour throughout December. The water-tube tiltmeter at Tabele Observatory showed no significant changes during December. No seismograph was operational.

"On 1 December, emissions from South Crater were initially of ash-laden vapour, but changed to dark grey ash after 1250. The ash columns rose 500 m above the crater and produced fine ashfall to the ESE. The emissions were accompanied by weak roaring and rumbling noises at intervals of 5-10 minutes. Lava fragments were heard cascading down the SE and SW valleys and were seen at night as incandescent ejecta. There were further weak rumbling noises on 2 December and weak steady glow until the 4th. On 6 and 7 December there were occasional roaring noises and a small ash column was seen on December 6 with fine ashfall on the ESE side of the volcano. From 11 to 13 December, weak roaring and rumbling noises were again heard at 5-10 minute intervals with occasional booming and explosion noises. Dark grey ash emissions again accompanied this activity, the strongest of these (12 December) rising 600 m above the crater. On the night of 11 December, weak incandescent projections accompanied the explosions, rising 100 m above the crater. There was no eruptive activity from 15 December until the end of the month and emissions were mainly of weak white vapour. Weak glow was seen on all nights when the summit was visible. Occasional weak roaring sounds were heard on 30 and 31 December."

Geological Summary. The 10-km-wide island of Manam, lying 13 km off the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea, is one of the country's most active volcanoes. Four large radial valleys extend from the unvegetated summit of the conical basaltic-andesitic stratovolcano to its lower flanks. These valleys channel lava flows and pyroclastic avalanches that have sometimes reached the coast. Five small satellitic centers are located near the island's shoreline on the northern, southern, and western sides. Two summit craters are present; both are active, although most observed eruptions have originated from the southern crater, concentrating eruptive products during much of the past century into the SE valley. Frequent eruptions, typically of mild-to-moderate scale, have been recorded since 1616. Occasional larger eruptions have produced pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached flat-lying coastal areas and entered the sea, sometimes impacting populated areas.

Information Contacts: D. Lolok, R. Stewart, and B. Talai, RVO.