"Moderate activity, which had begun in late December 1985 (10:12), continued for the first half of January. Numerous explosions from Crater 2 were seen, and there were daily reports of rumbling sounds at the observation post [9] km N of the summit. A light ashfall was reported at the observation post on 3 January. Occasional incandescence from Crater 2 was seen at night until the 13th. Low-frequency harmonic tremor was recorded on the 2nd, 3rd, and 7th. Numerous explosions (3-30/day) were recorded throughout January.

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: P. Lowenstein, RVO.