Merapi the Mountain of Fire, Central Java, Indonesia (Decade Volcano)

Quick eruption update: Actvity at Nabro has increased somewhat with the production of a new plume reported at Irish Weathre Online and by the Toulouse VAAC. This plume however is severely lacking in ash (evidenced by it's white colour) and contains large amounts of Sulphur Dioxide. For a detailed update please visit the Volcanism Blog for discussion and pictures! The eruption in Chile of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle is also causing major diruption to air travel as it continues. Whilst the renewed activity at Bocca Nuova on Etna continues with light ash emissions - from @etnaboris.

Merapi which has featured heavily in the news recently, is one of the most active volcanoes of Indonesia, but more importantly one of the most hazardous in terms of threat to human life, hence it's designatin as a Decade Volcano. Mythology is very important to the locals around Merapi, who generally believe that Merapi is housed by spirits in various guises.

Merapi in 2005, from Wikipedia.

Merapi, in central Java, is a stratovolcano which stands at ~2968 m tall. Due to the large amounts of people living within it's hazardous reach the Merapi Volcano Observatory keeps a watchful eyeover it's activity. It is the youngest of the volcanoes in the Java area and produces eruptions every 1 to 5 years of an andesitic type.

The main hazards faced from eruptions of Merapi are the formation of Pyroclastic Density Currents (also called Pyroclastic Flows etc), a number of these are shown in the photos below, and lahars. Lava dome formation also occurs within the crater of Merapi and the collapse of these domes has caused the formation of Pyroclastic Density Currents frequently in the past. The most recent 2010 eruption has caused the deaths of more than 300 people. However the most devestating eruption occured in 1930 when more than 1000 people were killed by Pyroclastic Density Currents.

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Left: a pyroclastic flow formed by lava dome collapse in 1994. The photo is available from the GVp and was taken by Panut. Right: Pyroclastic flow in 2006 from Wikipedia. Below: pyroclastic flow in 2006 from the GVP.

Sources
Global Volcanism Program
John Seach

Below is an unusual and amusing email I recieved via the contact form which I thought  I would share with everyone. It certainly gave me a chuckle!
 
Email Starts
I have heard the following theories about the eyjafjallajokull
eruption and would like youre opinion on the events....
 
1. A meltdown of the Sun activated the volcano
2. Secret experiments with ‘seismic weapons’
3. Closing in on the end of the Mayan calendar
4. Manoeuvres at an alien landing site
5. Discreet terror attack response exercise
6. The Earth is beginning to heal itself
7. Preliminary warning of a mega poison cloud
8. Beginning of a new super eruption
9. The interior of the Earth is collapsing
10. Fulfilment of age-old Nordic legends

Thanks

Dr. Ignim Brite
Email Ends

Which one is your favourtie? Let me know!