KRAKATAU KRAKATOA VOLCANO
To anyone iterested in natural processes,krkatau is the most fascinating areas in the world.the catalysmic eruption of 1883capture the imagination,and spectacular volcanic activity continous to the present.To those interested in Biology and the way
island colonized by plants and animals.Not only the island which life was eradicted by the 1883 eruption,but also the new island of Anak Krakatau the area hold unique attraction.The Krakatau volcano is a part of ujung Kulon National Park previously
,today its belongs to Lampung Povince.
THE VOLCANIC HISTORY
The three outer island of the present Krakatau group [ Rakata,Sertung and Panjang ] are thougt to be the remmants of one previous.
Huge Volcanic island called " Ancient Krakarau ",it was some 11 km in diameter and 2 km high,according to history Javanese bookof KIng it exploded and collaps,perhaps in pre hitoric time but possible as recently as 416 AD.Three island remained on the
rim of it submerged,7 km diameter,central caldera [ collapse crater ].The southern mostof these ,Rkta grew by volcanic activity untill it was about 830 mt high and 5 km diameter.Two smaller volcanic island ,Danan [450 mt] and Perbuatan [120 mt],than develop in line to its North,within the ancient caldera ,the three islands later joined up in to one.Krakatau this about 9 km long
and 5 km wide .There are record of seven eruption of Krkatau between the 9th and the 16th Century it was regarded as dormant.
THE 1883 EXPLOSSIVE ERUPTION
Volcanic activity recommende in May,1883,and continued into August.The first eruption appearing in the northern,perbuatan Volcano.
The number of active vents increased on both the northern volcanos.On the 26th and 27th August a series of catalysmic explossionoccured which were heard as faraway as South Australia and Ceylon.The generated Tsunami [Tidal wave] that were registered evenin English Channel.And which in Sunda Strait area were Devastating,and killing 36.000 people.The total volume of the material ejected by the eruption estimated at some 18-20 cubic kilometers.With an ash/dust cloud circling the Earth several times,causing"BLUE SUN and ORANGE MOON".In UEROPE and NORTH AMERICA ,the amount of the sun energy reaching the EARTH was reduced,and in the
year or two that followed.Annual average temperature sin the Northern hemisphere were lower than usual.In the aftermath of the explossion only about a third of Krakatau remained.The northern two-third including volcanos Perbuatan
and Danan,and the northern half of the rakata Volcano were gone.In their place was collapsed crater 200 mt beneath the Sea.Covering an area of about 28 square kilometers.The remaining,Southern of Rakata was left as aproximate half-cone with an almost perpendicular cliff from the summit [813]to the Sea.Providing a Natural,Geological section trough the Volcano.The other two islands,Sertung and Panjang were Enlarged considerablyby the glowing ash and fumice which smoother the to a depth 30 mt.On Rakata The south and west coast were extended almost akilometer Seaward and the ash layer riched a thickness of 60 mtin some areas.Altough probably much shallower on the steeper slopes.Week after the explosion rained water turn into steam as it trickled into crevices and even a month later the surface was to hot
for bare feet.It is believed that all life,plants and animal was destroyed on the island,yet the three Islands are now covered in Forest,and over 200 species of higher plants and 36 species of land bird have been found in RAKATA island.
