Ambrym
| Ambrym | |
|---|---|
| Island | |
Ash plume from Ambrym Volcano, October 4, 2004
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 Location within Vanuatu |
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| Coordinates: 16°15′S 168°7′E / 16.250°S 168.117°ECoordinates: 16°15′S 168°7′E / 16.250°S 168.117°E | |
| Country | Vanuatu |
| Province | Malampa Province |
| Area | |
| • Total | 677.7 km2 (261.7 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,334 m (4,377 ft) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 7,275 |
| • Density | 11/km2 (28/sq mi) |
| Time zone | VUT (UTC+11) |
| Ambrym | |
|---|---|
Lava lake in Marum crater, Ambrym, in a photo taken 24 September 2009
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,334 m (4,377 ft) |
| Coordinates | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Vanuatu |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Pyroclastic shield |
| Volcanic arc | New Hebrides arc |
| Last eruption | 2008 |
Ambrym is a volcanic island in Malampa Province in the archipelago of Vanuatu. Volcanic activity on the island includes lava lakes in two craters near the summit.
Ambrym (aka Ambrin) was named by Captain Cook, who anchored off there in 1774.("ham rim" in the Ranon language).
Located near the center of the long Vanuatuan archipelago, Ambrym is roughly triangular in shape, about 50 km (31 mi) wide. With 677.7 square kilometres (261.7 sq mi) of surface area, it is the fifth largest island in the country.
The summit at the center of the island is dominated by a desert-like caldera, which covers an area of 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi).
With the exception of human settlements, the rest of the island is covered by thick jungle.
Ambrym is a large basaltic volcano with a 12-km-wide caldera, and one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebrides volcanic arc.
The caldera is the result of a huge plinian explosion, which took place around 50 AD. Its explosive force is rated 6, the second highest in the Smithsonian Institution's Volcanic Explosivity Index ranks of the largest volcanic explosions in recent geological history.
While at higher elevations cinder cones predominate, the western tip of the island is characterized by a series of basaltic tuff rings, of which the largest is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in diameter. These were produced by phreatic eruptions when magma contacted the water table and water-saturated sediments along the coast.
The massive, 1900-year-old, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) × 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) caldera is the site of two active volcanic cones, Benbow and Marum (also spelled Maroum).
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Wikipedia