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Batu Tara Volcano | John Seach
Komba Island, Indonesia
7.79 S, 123.57 E
summit elevation 748 m
stratovolcano
Batu Tara volcano is located 50 km north of Pulau Lembata in the Flores Sea. The crater is in the middle of the island with dimensions of 900 m x 700 m. The uninhabited island of Batu Tara is the steep-sided summit of an active stratovolcano and has a small summit crater which is open to the east. The base of the island lies about 3,000 meters below sea level.
Batu Tara is the northern-most active volcano in the Adonara Pantar sector of the Sunda arc. This is at the boundary of the collision of the north moving Australia tectonic plate, and the Sunda-Banda arc. Batu Tara volcano is located 230 km above the Benioff zone in a region where the arc crust is relatively young and thin. Rocks from Batu Tara contain crystals that formed in different magmas.
2022 Activity
On 01 February 2022 small eruptions sent ash to altitude of 5000 ft.
2008 Eruptions
In January 2008 thick grey ash was emitted to a height of 750 m above the crater. In August 2008, observations of ash eruptions were made from a passing ship. Ash reached 750 m above the summit. In December 2008, ash plumes reached a height of 1.5 km and drifted 55 km NW and SW from the volcano.
2007 Eruptions
In March 2007, 15000 people were evacuated from Lembata Island near the volcano. Strombolian eruptions were recorded in 2007.
2006 Eruptions
On 1st July 2006 there was an eruption at Batu Tara volcano with ash to 5000 ft elevation. Hot ashfall affected the eastern side of the island.
1847-1852 Eruptions
Eruptions produced lava and bombs.
Further reading
Spina, Laura, et al. "Multi-parametric characterization of explosive activity at Batu Tara Volcano (Flores Sea, Indonesia)." Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 413 (2021): 107199.
Van Bergen, M. J., et al. The origin of the potassic rock suite from Batu Tara volcano (East Sunda Arc, Indonesia).Lithos 28.3-6 (1992): 261-282.
Stolz, A. J., et al. "The geochemistry and petrogenesis of K-rich alkaline volcanics from the Batu Tara volcano, eastern Sunda arc." Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 98.3 (1988): 374-389.
Batu Tara Volcano Eruptions
2022, 2006-15, 1847-52