Tavui
Caldera in Papua New Guinea
Key Facts
Elevation
200 m (656 ft)
Type
Caldera
Location
-4.109°, 152.213°
Region
Bismarck Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Rhyolite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
The mostly submarine Tavui caldera lies off the NE tip of the Gazelle Peninsula north of Rabaul caldera. The caldera was first discovered during a bathymetric cruise in 1985. The SW wall of the roughly 10 x 12 km caldera cuts the NE end of the peninsula and extends from Tavui Point at the northern tip of the peninsula SE to Laweo Point.
The 7,100-year-old Raluan Ignimbrite, initially thought to have originated from Rabaul, is now thought to have been produced by an eruption of Tavui. A basaltic scoria layer immediately underlies the rhyolitic ignimbrite, and the introduction of basaltic magma was considered to have triggered the rhyolitic eruption. The lack of a major low-velocity region detectable beneath the caldera during a seismic tomography survey suggests that it is not currently active.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows and surges
- Large explosive eruptions (VEI 4+)
- Ash fall and tephra deposits
- Lahars and debris flows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 6972 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 252150
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The mostly submarine Tavui caldera at the NE end of New Britain lies off the tip of the Gazelle Peninsula. The SW wall of the roughly 10 x 12 km wide caldera, its margins crudely shown on this image, cuts the NE tip of the peninsula. Tavui caldera, much less known than Rabaul caldera to the S, was first discovered during a bathymetric cruise in 1985. Light ash-covered areas from the 1994 Rabaul eruption can be seen at the western and NE margins of Rabaul caldera in this 1999 NASA Space Shuttle image.
NASA Space Shuttle image STS103-733-52, 1999 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.