March 3, 2023, 9:48 a.m., Pacific: First, a stocks and bonds point of view.
Next, wow! Check out that coulee!
Merapi 13 Maret 2023
📸: Teddy.kntl pic.twitter.com/W4cb3ZHjbH
— Merapi Uncover (@merapi_uncover) March 13, 2023
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And this, translated via Twitter as:
Survey Results of the Geological Agency Drone Team After the Awanpanas Drop Incident on 11-12 March 2023
On March 11-12 2023, Mount Merapi launched a hot cloud towards Kali Bebeng. Until now, Monday, March 13 2023, there have been 60 incidents of hot clouds falling on Mount Merapi.
Hasil Survei Tim Drone Badan Geologi Pasca Kejadian Awanpanas Guguran Tanggal 11-12 Maret 2023
Tanggal 11-12 Maret 2023, Gunung Merapi meluncurkan awanpanas ke arah Kali Bebeng. Hingga saat ini, Senin, 13 Maret 2023 tercatat 60 kejadian awanpanas guguran di Gunung Merapi. pic.twitter.com/DiI3oI7kNS
— BPPTKG (@BPPTKG) March 13, 2023
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The volcano’s status is unchanged at the time of writing.
The boffins will have the last word, of course, but this looks to me (a layperson) like one of Merapi’s typical, if rather emphatic, dome-demolition/pyroclastic flow making events; and now, apparently, it’s going to build a new dome in the same spot on the southwest flank.
Meanwhile, there is also an active dome in the summit crater to keep an eye on.
Finally, for now, here is what fallout from the flow clouds did to the nearby city of Magelang. The rainy season is still on, and lahars will be a problem everywhere in the affected area.
Pantauan udara kondisi Kota Magelang pasca erupsi Gunung Merapi hari Sabtu kemarin.
Semoga segera hujan air untuk wilayah Magelang @txtdrMagelang pic.twitter.com/XuZITN9mZj
— Info Jateng (@Jateng_Twit) March 13, 2023
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Initial update:
This is in conjunction with yesterday’s post — so long and involved that it seemed better to put updates here.
And there are updates!
For example, as of around 2:30 p.m., Pacific (2130 UTC) on March 12, 2023, it appears from this image tweeted about three hours ago that there’s a lava coullee on the flank:
Merapi 13-03-2023 01:02 wib terlihat lava pijar |@DimasImamPrast1 pic.twitter.com/4glZhmEgKk
— Merapi Uncover (@merapi_uncover) March 12, 2023
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That is yet to be confirmed, as far as I know.
But this sure looks like sticky lava erupting, presumably at or near the (former?) location of the lava dome high up on the southwestern flank:
Semoga Aman terkendali, |@bukanbintangg18 pic.twitter.com/2r7voGXOEi
— Merapi Uncover (@merapi_uncover) March 12, 2023
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As for the lightning, WELL!
Terlihat dari lanud gading |@suka_liar pic.twitter.com/GUtk4mPNW8
— Merapi Uncover (@merapi_uncover) March 12, 2023
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That is meteorological, not volcano generated, AFAIK.
The monsoon rains are still on, I think, but that formation is amazing, rainy season or not.
And this was tweeted about 13 hours ago:
Merapi volcano. The InSAR close-up shows that the upper western flank continues to deform. The mechanism and couplings of this flank movement are unclear, but are being closely monitored.https://t.co/Bkw5GEqVqE pic.twitter.com/VO0MjZcTyj
— TR Walter (@VOLCAPSE) March 12, 2023
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If the boffins aren’t sure, I’m not speculating, either. I just note that:
- Per my reading (Chaussard et al.), Merapi is an open-conduit system and only deforms up near the summit, which is presumably where this western flank deformation is;
- A lava intrusion could explain the deformation.
More updates (front-loaded) as they become available.
Sources quoted:
Chaussard, E.; Amelung, F.; and Aoki, Y.
2013. Characterization of open and closed volcanic systems in Indonesia and Mexico using InSAR time series. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 118(8): 3957-3969.
Flight To Wonder 