The mild Vulcanian eruptive activity that occurred at Langila's Crater 2 through June 2000 (BGVN 25:07) continued during July-October 2000. In addition, low-level volcanic activity continued at Crater 3. No reports of unusual activity were submitted during July and August.

During September, intermittent, mild Vulcanian activity occurred at Crater 2. The activity consisted of moderate emissions of thin-to-thick white vapor, which were occasionally accompanied by gray ash clouds. On 21, 25, and 30 September thick, dark gray, convoluting ash clouds were forcefully released, rose 200 m above the summit, blew to the N and NW, and deposited fine ash. On 7, 9-11, and 27 September wisps of blue vapor accompanied the emissions. During the month volcanic activity was low at Crater 3, with only thin white vapor sporadically visible.

Through October intermittent, mild Vulcanian eruptions continued at Crater 2. The vent usually emitted white vapor, which was sometimes accompanied by a blue tinge and occasionally by a light ash component. On 8 October a forceful emission of thick ash rose to 1 km above the crater rim. This heralded a few days of increased ash emissions, with some forcefully expelled light gray/brown clouds on the 15th. During 16-24 October continuous white vapor emissions with a small ash component were common. At 0801 on 24 October a dark gray-to-black ash column rose 1 km above the crater rim. On 25 October an ash cloud that rose to 2 km above the crater deposited ash toward the N. Likewise, at 0655 on 26 October a thick, white vapor plume was accompanied by an ash column that rose to 1 km above the crater rim. The ash emissions continued throughout the day, and similar activity occurred the next day. For the rest of the month activity was confined to white vapor with an occasional ash component. During October varying amounts of white fume were emitted from Crater 3. Throughout the period there were no reports of noises or night glow at the volcano; the seismograph remained out of operation.

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: Ima Itikarai, David Lolok, Herman Patia, and Steve Saunders, Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO), P.O. Box 386, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.