Most Recent Weekly Report: 16 September-22 September 2009 Cite this Report

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 18 September a possible diffuse ash plume from Sakar rose to an altitude of 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 165 km NW. Four hours later images showed that the volcano was clear; the plume may have been smoke from a fire or steam. RVO was unable to confirm that an eruption had or had not occurred. [Note: The Darwin VAAC later confirmed that an eruption did not occur.]

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

Weekly Reports - Index

2009: September

16 September-22 September 2009 Cite this Report

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 18 September a possible diffuse ash plume from Sakar rose to an altitude of 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 165 km NW. Four hours later images showed that the volcano was clear; the plume may have been smoke from a fire or steam. RVO was unable to confirm that an eruption had or had not occurred. [Note: The Darwin VAAC later confirmed that an eruption did not occur.]

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Sakar.

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

Tupinier

Basic Data Volcano Number Last Known Eruption Elevation Latitude Longitude 251080 Unknown - Evidence Uncertain 992 m / 3,255 ft 5.414°S 148.094°E Morphology Volcano Landform Composite Volcano Types Stratovolcano Pyroclastic cone(s) Rock Types Major Basalt / Picro-Basalt Andesite / Basaltic Andesite Tectonic Setting Subduction zone Continental crust (> 25 km) Population Within 5 km Within 10 km Within 30 km Within 100 km 149 160 1,176 58,544

Geological Summary Sakar is an incised stratovolcano with a summit crater lake. Deep valleys cut the flanks of the volcano, which is partially surrounded by coral reefs. An older volcano that forms much of the island consists mainly of porphyritic basaltic rocks. A younger andesitic cone with a 1.5-km-wide crater has been constructed within the older volcano's larger crater, whose rim is exposed on the northern and eastern sides. No historical eruptions are known from Sakar, but warm springs are found along the SW coast, and a pyroclastic cone on the southern flank of the 8 x 10 km wide island may be of Holocene age (Johnson 1990, pers. comm.). A large submarine debris-avalanche deposit lies north of Sakar. References The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography. 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. Fisher N H, 1957. Melanesia. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields, Rome: IAVCEI, 5: 1-105. Johnson R W, 1990. (pers. comm.). 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. 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

The Global Volcanism Program is not aware of any Holocene eruptions from Sakar. If this volcano has had large eruptions (VEI >= 4) prior to 12,000 years ago, information might be found on the Sakar page in the LaMEVE (Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions) database, a part of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Sakar.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Sakar.

Photo Gallery

The small circular island at the top-center is Sakar, the NE-most of a chain of volcanic islands off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The 8 x 10 km wide island, seen in this Space Shuttle image with north to the upper left, is an incised stratovolcano with a summit crater lake. The 50-km-wide island of Umboi, whose left side is cut by a large caldera breached to the NE, fills the center of the image.

NASA Space Shuttle image STS50-100-D, 1992 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/). The 7.5 x 9 km Sakar is the NE-most of a chain of volcanic islands off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea, seen in this February 2017 Planet Labs satellite image monthly mosaic (N is at the top). The flanks are deeply eroded, but the summit crater contains a lake in the SE section and there is a cone on the S flank.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2017 (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 Sakar 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 Sakar. 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 Sakar. 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 Sakar	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).