"Both craters produced occasional Vulcanian explosions during February. Activity appeared to be stronger in the first half of the month. Explosions from Crater 3 rose to 3-4 km on 9 and 11 February, and from Crater 2 to 6-7 km on the 13th and 14th. Glow and incandescent tephra ejections were observed at Crater 2 most nights the first half of the month, occasionally the second half. At Crater 3 incandescent tephra emission was reported only on 7 February.

"The main feature of February seismicity was the registration of several Vulcanian explosion earthquakes per day. Larger events were recorded 8-17 February. Two periods of frequent, brief, small-amplitude seismic events occurred 6-9 and 13-16 February. This activity became more intense on the 14th and 15th, giving rise to signals resembling discontinuous seismic tremor."

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: C. McKee, RVO.