Overview of Gamalama's Volcanic Setting
Gamalama is an active stratovolcano located in Indonesia at coordinates 0.81° N and 127.3322° E. Rising to an elevation of 1,714 meters above sea level, the volcano is situated in an oceanic subduction zone where the underlying crust thickness is under 15 kilometers. According to records maintained by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, Gamalama has a documented history of 67 confirmed eruptions spanning from 1510 CE through 2018.
Century-by-Century Eruption History
Historical documentation of eruptive activity at Gamalama covers more than five centuries. Eruption frequency recorded in the official database varies across eras, with the highest concentration of confirmed events documented during the 19th century CE.
| Century | Confirmed Eruptions |
|---|---|
| 16th century CE | 3 |
| 17th century CE | 9 |
| 18th century CE | 8 |
| 19th century CE | 25 |
| 20th century CE | 15 |
| 21st century CE | 7 |
Explosivity and Historical Eruption Characteristics
The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) provides a relative measure of an eruption's explosive magnitude based on characteristics such as ejected volume and plume height. Out of 67 confirmed eruptions at Gamalama, 66 have assigned VEI ratings. The highest recorded VEI for Gamalama is 3.0.
Representative historical events in the record illustrate the range of documented activity:
- 1510 CE Eruption: The earliest recorded eruption in the database began around 1510 CE, with an estimated start year uncertainty of 10 years, and achieved a VEI of 3.0.
- 1771–1772 Eruption: An extended eruption began on August 28, 1771, and concluded on October 9, 1772, reaching a VEI of 3.0.
- 1847 Eruption: A short-duration eruption was reported on September 7, 1847, ending on the same day.
- 1990 Eruption: Explosive activity occurred between April 25, 1990, and April 26, 1990, registering a VEI of 3.0.
Latest Recorded Eruptive Activity
The most recent confirmed eruption at Gamalama took place at the summit crater in October 2018. Activity began on October 4, 2018, and concluded on October 6, 2018. Based on observational reports, this summit event was rated at VEI 1.0.
Frequently asked questions
How many confirmed eruptions are documented for Gamalama?
Gamalama has 67 confirmed historical eruptions recorded in the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program catalog, spanning from 1510 CE to 2018.
When did the most recent confirmed eruption of Gamalama occur?
The most recent confirmed eruption occurred from October 4 to October 6, 2018, originating from Gamalama's summit crater.
What is the maximum Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) recorded for Gamalama?
The maximum recorded VEI for Gamalama is 3.0, observed during multiple historical events including eruptions in 1510 CE, 1771–1772, and 1990.
Image credits
- Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy — Wikimedia Commons source — CC BY 2.0
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.