12-17-2019, 01:45 AM
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50798253
Shattered remnants from the volcano that generated a devastating tsunami in Indonesia a year ago have been pictured on the seafloor for the first time.
Scientists used sonar equipment to image the giant chunks of rock that slid into the ocean when one side of Anak Krakatau collapsed.
Some of these blocks are 70-90m high.
Their plunge into the water produced tall waves that tore across the shorelines of Java and Sumatra on 22 December 2018.
Much of the wave energy took a path away from the volcano in the same direction of the collapse - to the southwest. This resulted in 10m-high waves laying waste to a corner of Ujung Kulon National Park on Panaitan Island - a distance of 50km from Anak Krakatau.
"Local residents were very fortunate that the collapse was in the southwest direction, in the direction where few people were living - towards the national park," said Prof Fritz.
"Had the collapse direction been different, the outcome could have been very different as well in terms of tsunami heights on populated areas."
There are many other places in the world where volcanoes could be considered a danger especially to the people living in places surrounding the volcano. With Anak Krakatau, hopefully the wave energy from the volcanoes can be predicted.
Shattered remnants from the volcano that generated a devastating tsunami in Indonesia a year ago have been pictured on the seafloor for the first time.
Scientists used sonar equipment to image the giant chunks of rock that slid into the ocean when one side of Anak Krakatau collapsed.
Some of these blocks are 70-90m high.
Their plunge into the water produced tall waves that tore across the shorelines of Java and Sumatra on 22 December 2018.
Much of the wave energy took a path away from the volcano in the same direction of the collapse - to the southwest. This resulted in 10m-high waves laying waste to a corner of Ujung Kulon National Park on Panaitan Island - a distance of 50km from Anak Krakatau.
"Local residents were very fortunate that the collapse was in the southwest direction, in the direction where few people were living - towards the national park," said Prof Fritz.
"Had the collapse direction been different, the outcome could have been very different as well in terms of tsunami heights on populated areas."
There are many other places in the world where volcanoes could be considered a danger especially to the people living in places surrounding the volcano. With Anak Krakatau, hopefully the wave energy from the volcanoes can be predicted.