Global Volcanism Program

Bam

Google Earth Placemark with Features

Cite Volcano Profile

Papua New Guinea
Bismarck Volcanic Arc
Composite | Stratovolcano
1960 CE

Country
Volcanic Region
Landform | Volc Type
Last Known Eruption

3.613°S
144.818°E
685 m
2,247 ft
251010

Latitude
Longitude
Summit
Elevation
Volcano
Number

Most Recent Bulletin Report: March 1981 (SEAN 06:03) Cite this Report

Discolored water

During aerial inspections 6 and 19 March, a 1-km-long zone of orange sea discoloration was noted at the S shore of Bam Island.

Information Contacts: Acting Senior Volcanologist, RVO.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Bam.

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

03/1981 (SEAN 06:03) Discolored water

Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)

March 1981 (SEAN 06:03) Cite this Report

Discolored water

During aerial inspections 6 and 19 March, a 1-km-long zone of orange sea discoloration was noted at the S shore of Bam Island.

Information Contacts: Acting Senior Volcanologist, RVO.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Synonyms

Lesson Island | Biam | Biem

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

251010

1960 CE

685 m / 2,247 ft

3.613°S
144.818°E

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Composite

Volcano Types
Stratovolcano

Rock Types

Major
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone
Continental crust (> 25 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

192
192
462
103,203

Geological Summary

The small 2.4 x 1.6 km island of Bam is the summit of a mostly submerged volcano that is one of the more active in Papua New Guinea. Bam is the SE-most of the Schouten Islands, and lies off the coast of New Guinea, about 40 km NNE of the mouth of the Sepik River. A steep-walled summit crater that is 300 m wide and 180 m deep is the source of recent eruptions, which have kept the upper half of the cone sparsely vegetated. A NE-trending landslide scarp extends across the upper part of the andesitic volcano from the SW coast, and a large submarine debris-avalanche deposits lies to the S and SW. The younger summit cone partially buries the eastern side of the collapse scarp. A recent lava platform on the N flank supports the small island's only villages. Historical eruptions, recorded since 1872, have been restricted to small-to-moderate explosive activity from the summit crater.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Binns R A, Brodie P, Fulton R, Mapham B, Park S-H, Parr J M, Pinto A, Rees C, Subandrio A, Thomas S, Wama J, Whiting R, 2002. Exploration and Mining Report 939C (Final Cruise Report, RV Franklin, FR-02/2002, “BISMARCK-2002”): Submarine Hydrothermal and Volcanic Activity in the Western Bismarck Island Arc, Papua New Guinea. CSIRO Division of Exploration and Mining, Australia.

Cooke R J S, Johnson R W, 1978. Volcanoes and volcanology in Papua New Guinea. Geol Surv Papua New Guinea Rpt, 78/2: 1-46.

Cooke R J S, Johnson R W, 1981. Bam volcano: morphology, geology, and reported eruptive history. in Johnson R W (ed), Cooke-Ravian Volume of Volcanological Papers, Geological Survey of Papua New Guinea Memoir 10, 13-22.

Finsch O, 1888. Samoafahrten. Reisen in Kaiser Wilhelms-Land und Englisch Neu-Guinea in den Jahren 1884 u. 1885 an Bord des deutschen Dampfers Samoa.. Leipzig: Ferdinand Hirt & Sohn..

Fisher N H, 1957. Melanesia. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 5: 1-105.

Hantke G, 1959. Ubersicht uber die Vulkanische Tatigkeit 1954-1956. Bull Volcanol, 20: 3-36.

Jackson, H R (Captain), 1918. Log of the HMAS Una. Transcribed by Old Weather (www.oldweather.org), 2016 (see http://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-18-HMAS_Una.htm, http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM 53-66374/ADM 53-66374-010_0.jpg).

Johnson R W, 1987. Large-scale volcanic cone collapse: the 1888 slope failure of Ritter volcano, and other examples from Papua New Guinea. Bull Volcanol, 49: 669-679.

Johnson R W, Taylor G A M, Davies R A, 1972. Geology and petrology of Quaternary volcanic islands off the north coast of New Guinea. Aust Bur Min Resour Geol Geophys Rec, 1972/21: 1-127.

Lowenstein P L, 1982. Problems of volcanic hazards in Papua New Guinea. Geol Surv Papua New Guinea Rpt, 82/7: 1-62.

Mikloucho-Maclay N, 1975. New Guinea Diaries 1871-1883 (translated from the Russian with biographical and historical notes by C.L. Sentinella). Kristen Pres Inc., Madang, Papua New Guinea..

Miklouho-Maclay, N, 1885. On volcanic activity on the islands near the north-east coast of New Guinea and evidence of rising of the Maclay coast in New Guinea. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales v. 9, 963-967. Sydney Linnean Society of New South Wales..

Moresby J, 1875. Discoveries in Eastern New Guinea, by Captain Moresby and the Officers of H. M. S. Basilisk. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London, 1874-1875, v. 19, No. 3, pp. 225-244.

Silver E, Day S, Ward S, Hoffmann G, Llanes P, Driscoll N, Appelgate B, Saunders S, 2009. Volcano collapse and tsunami generation in the Bismarck Volcanic Arc, Papua New Guinea. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 186: 210-222.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 17 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

1960 Apr 28 - 1960 Jul 6 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1960 Apr 28 - 1960 Jul 6

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	weak or small
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Earthquakes (undefined)
1960 Apr 28	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1959 Apr 2 - 1959 Oct 31 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1959 Apr 2 - 1959 Oct 31

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	weak or small
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
1959 Apr 2	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1958 Sep 5 - 1958 Sep 10 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1958 Sep 5 - 1958 Sep 10

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
1958 Sep 5	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1958 Mar 11 ± 10 days - 1958 Apr 19 (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1958 Mar 11 ± 10 days - 1958 Apr 19 (?)

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	weak or small
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
1958 Mar 11 ± 10 days	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1957 Oct 26 - 1957 Oct 26 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 1

Episode 1 | Eruption

1957 Oct 26 - 1957 Oct 26

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Incandescence	Event was "Glow"
1957 Oct 26	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1954 Aug 3 - 1957 Jan 2 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1954 Aug 3 - 1957 Jan 2

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 8 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	weak or small
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Earthquakes (undefined)
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations
1954	- - - -	Fatalities
1954 Aug 3	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)
1955 Jun 3	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1947 Mar 13 ± 75 days Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1947 Mar 13 ± 75 days - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 5 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	weak or small
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Blocks
- - - -	- - - -	Earthquakes (undefined)
1947 Mar 13 ± 75 days	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1946 Dec 1 ± 30 days ] Discredited Eruption

An eruption at the end of 1946 (CAVW) actually occurred in 1947 prior to a 24 May letter (Johnson et al., 1972).

1944 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1944 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Blocks
1944	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1941 - 1942 ] Discredited Eruption

Explosive eruptions in 1941 and 1942 included in Cooke et al. (1976, figure 2) could not be found in other sources, and are apparently in error (Johnson, 1990 p.c.).

[ 1936 Jul - 1939 Apr ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Uncertain

1936 Jul - 1939 Apr

Evidence from Unknown

Holtker saw smoke plumes above the summit during July 1936-April 1939. No lava flows or explosive outbursts were seen, but glow was observed from Manam, the mainland, and the sea (Johnson et al., 1972).

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Volcanic "smoke"
	- - - -	- - - -	Incandescence	Event was "Glow"

1924 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1924 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 5 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	moderate
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Blocks
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
1924	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1918 Sep 18 Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1918 Sep 18 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Incandescence	Event was "Glow"

1913 Confirmed Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption

1913 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	Uncertain
	- - - -	- - - -	Volcanic "smoke"

1909 Apr 19 - 1909 Sep 13 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1909 Apr 19 - 1909 Sep 13

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	moderate
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
- - - -	- - - -	Blocks
1909 Apr 19	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1908 Jul 12 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1908 Jul 12 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
1908 Jul 12	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1907 Nov Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1907 Nov - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Eruption cloud
1907 Nov	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1897 - 1898 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 \| Uncertain
1897 - 1898				Evidence from Unknown
	Hantke (1959) reported activity in 1897 and 1898, and Sapper (1917) records activity in the 1890s. Although Cooke et al. (1976) considered this an eruption, Cooke and Johnson (1981) later discounted these reports.

[ 1888 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Uncertain

1888 - Unknown

Evidence from Unknown

Zoller observed small "smoke clouds" in 1888 (Johnson et al., 1972). This eruption is considered uncertain (Cooke and Johnson, 1981).

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Volcanic "smoke"

[ 1885 May 20 ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Uncertain

1885 May 20 - Unknown

Evidence from Unknown

Finsch (1888) reported that he was certain he saw smoke rising through the cloud layers on one occasion during his 20 May 1885 sighting of Bam (Cooke and Johnson, 1981). Oral traditions recount a major eruption leading to many deaths and temporary evacuation of the island about seven generations before 2005 (most probably in the mid-1880s), but it is not known which eruption report this references (Silver et al., 2009).

List of 1 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Volcanic "smoke"

[ 1884 ] Discredited Eruption

The date of observations by Otto Finsch was May 1885, not 1884.

[ 1883 Mar ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 \| Uncertain
1883 Mar - Unknown				Evidence from Unknown
	Bam was observed to be "still in activity" during a March 1883 visit by Miklouho-Maclay (1885). This is considered an uncertain eruption report by Cooke and Johnson (1981) and Lowenstein (1982).

1877 Nov 13 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3

Episode 1 | Eruption

1877 Nov 13 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

Reported to be "in full eruption" by Miklouho-Maclay (Sentinella, 1975), but the exact nature of activity is uncertain.

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	1877 Nov 13	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1874 May 20 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

1874 May 20 - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

The first reliable report of activity on Bam was a 20 May 1874 observation of large volumes of steam and smoke discharging from the volcano (Moresby, 1875). The inhabitants were undisturbed by the volcano at the time of Moresby's visit, suggesting that this was not the vigorous ca. 1868-1975 eruption that prompted evacuations. Vigorous vapor emission is characteristic of well-documented eruptive periods on Bam, which emits little or no vapor during non-eruptive periods, lending support to the 1874 eruption report (Cooke and Johnson, 1981).

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

	Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
	- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
	1874 May 20	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1872 ± 4 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3

Episode 1 | Eruption

1872 ± 4 years - Unknown

Evidence from Observations: Reported

A violent eruption recorded as occurring in 1868 (CAVW), which damaged or destroyed houses and gardens and prompted many of the islanders to flee, was estimated from oral tradition to have occurred sometime between 1868 and 1875 (Johnson et al., 1972; Cooke and Johnson, 1981).

List of 4 Events for Episode 1

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion	violent, strong, or large
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
- - - -	- - - -	Evacuations
1872 ± 4 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1700 Apr ] Discredited Eruption

The "smoking island" may have been Kadovar, not Bam (Johnson et al., 1972). Cooke and Johnson (1981) state that the only remark by Dampier on activity in the Schouten Islands during his 1700 visit appears to refer to the neighboring island of Kadovar.

[ 1616 ] Discredited Eruption

Reported to be active by Sapper (1917), but Cooke and Johnson (1981) indicate that Dutch mariners Schouten and Le Maire did not see Bam in eruption, but Manam was active.

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Bam.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Bam.

Photo Gallery

The small 2.4 x 1.6 km island of Bam, seen here from the S, is the summit of a mostly submerged volcano that is one of the more active in Papua New Guinea. A 300-m-wide and 180-m-deep summit crater is source of recent eruptions, which have resulted in the sparsely-vegetated area. A younger cone (center) formed inside a SE-facing landslide scarp. Eruptions recorded since 1872 involved small-to-moderate explosive activity from the summit crater.

Photo by Wally Johnson, 1970 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).

The small island to the upper left is Blup Blup. This 3.5-km-wide forested island contains lava flows with well-defined flow fronts and a weak thermal area is located on the W coast. No historical eruptions have occurred, but the volcano may have been active during the Holocene. It is part of the Schouten Islands, along with Kadovar volcano (the small circular island to the S) and Bam volcano (right).

NASA Space Shuttle image STS106-719-49, 2000 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).

The roughly 3-km-wide Bam is an island volcano north of the main island of Papua New Guinea. The 300-m-wide, 180-m-deep summit crater is near the center of this May 2018 Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top). A NE-trending landslide scarp extends across the edifice from the SW coast.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2018 (https://www.planet.com/).

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Bam in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Bam. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Bam. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of Bam

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).