Tinakula (Solomon Islands)

Status Unrest Eruption 2019 796m
Stratovolcano (Subduction zone / Crustal thickness unknown)

The small 3.5-km-wide island of Tinakula is the exposed summit of a massive stratovolcano at the NW end of the Santa Cruz islands. Similar to Stromboli, it has a breached summit crater that extends from the summit to below sea level. Landslides enlarged this scarp in 1965, creating an embayment on the NW coast. The satellitic cone of Mendana is located on the SE side. The dominantly andesitic volcano has frequently been observed in eruption since the era of Spanish exploration began in 1595. In about 1840, an explosive eruption apparently produced pyroclastic flows that swept all sides of the island, killing its inhabitants. Frequent historical eruptions have originated from a cone constructed within the large breached crater. These have left the upper flanks and the steep apron of lava flows and volcaniclastic debris within the breach unvegetated.

The northern side of conical Tinakula volcano at the NW end of the Santa Cruz Islands rises dramatically from the sea surface. The small 3.5-km-wide island is the exposed portion of a massive stratovolcano that rises 3-4 km from the sea floor. A large breached crater that extends from the 851-m-high summit to below the NW coast is visible at the right and has been the source of frequent historical eruptions dating back to the era of Spanish exploration in 1595. Ndeni Island (left) appears in the background south of Tinakula.

Photo by Donn Tolia, 2002 (Geological Survey of the Solomon Islands, courtesy of CSIRO).

Last updated 2019-12-17 06:30:04