MOUNT RUANG - GEOGRAPHY
News: Indonesia’s Mount Ruang erupts
again, spewing ash and peppering villages with debris
What's in the news?
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Indonesia’s Mount Ruang volcano erupted for a second time in
two weeks, spewing ash almost 2 kilometers (more than a mile) into the sky,
closing an airport and peppering nearby villages with debris.
Key takeaways:
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The 725-metre (2,378-foot) volcano in North
Sulawesi province is about 95 kilometers (59 miles) northeast of Sam Ratulangi
International Airport in Manado, the
provincial capital.
Mount Ruang:
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Ruang is situated in the Sangihe Islands arc, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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It comprises an island that is 4 by 5 kilometers
wide, with a summit containing a partial lava dome reaching an altitude of 725
meters (2,379 ft).
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From its summit, peaks such as Klabat, Siau, and Ternate can be observed in the south, north, and
east, respectively.
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The volcano's first recorded eruption was in 1808.
Why Indonesia is More
Vulnerable to Volcanic Eruptions?
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Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people,
has 120 active volcanoes.
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It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits
along the "Ring of Fire,"
a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.
Stratovolcano:
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It is a tall,
steep, and cone-shaped type of volcano.
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Unlike flat shield volcanoes, they have higher peaks.
Features:
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They are typically found above subduction zones, and they are often part of large
volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the
Pacific Ocean.
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Stratovolcanoes comprise the largest percentage (~60%) of the Earth's individual volcanoes, and
most are characterized by eruptions of andesite and dacite, lavas that are
cooler and more viscous than basalt.
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These more viscous
lavas allow gas pressures to build up to high levels. Therefore, these
volcanoes often suffer explosive eruptions.
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They are usually about half-half lava and pyroclastic material, and the layering of these
products gives them their other common name of composite volcanoes.
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At the peak, stratovolcanoes usually have a small crater.
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The crater may be filled with water or ice, or it
may contain a volcanic dome during a period of relative inactivity.