Episodes

Vol. 29 No.2 June 2006

Journal of International Geoscience

Published by the International Union of Geological Sciences

by K¨¢roly N¨¦meth1, Shane J. Cronin1, Douglas Charley2, Morris Harrison2, and Esline Garae2

Exploding lakes in Vanuatu ¡ª ¡°Surtseyan-style¡±
eruptions witnessed on Ambae Island

1 Volcanic Risk Solutions, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, PO Box 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand,
e-mail: k.nemeth@massey.ac.nz and s.j.cronin@massey.ac.nz
2 Department of Geology Mines and Water Resources, Private Bag, Port Vila, Vanuatu

After a long silence, Lake Vui on Ambae Island burst into spectacular life on November 28, 2005, disrupting the lives of the 10,000 inhabitants on this sleepy tropical island in the SW Paci.c. ¡°Surtseyan-style¡± explosions burst through the Island¡¯s summit lake waters, forming a new tuff-cone, and threatening to form deadly lahars or volcanic floods. Such eruptions are rarely well observed, and these .eeting opportunities provide a chance to match volcanic processes with rocksequences common in the geologic record ¡­

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