Weak activity at Manam continued during 1-16 January, and the months of February and March 2000. (Reports for the second half of the month were not received.) During 1-16 January Main and Southern craters both issued weak white vapor. By the end of the second week of January seismicity had reached a trough similar to that in mid-December. Still, the average number of daily earthquakes was over 1,000 (specifically, 1,160-1,470 except on 3 and 4 January, when they were 820 and 300). The wet tilt readings (available until 5 January) showed minor fluctuations.

Seismicity remained low, with amplitude measurements at normal background level until 18 March, when amplitudes increased slightly but remained within the background range. The higher level continued through March. Event counts were also steady through this period, averaging ~1,200/day, although several days in March had only 500-600. The water-tube tiltmeter ~4 km SW of the summit area measured ~14 µrad of inflation in March. The inflation began sometime in late January 2000.

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: I. Itikarai, D. Lolok, K. Mulina, and F. Taranu, Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO), P.O. Box 386, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.