Kelimutu

Kelimutu
Crater lake at Kelimutus summit
Highest point
Elevation1,639 m (5,377 ft)[1]
ListingList of volcanoes in Indonesia
Spesial Ribu
Coordinates8°46′S 121°49′E / 8.77°S 121.82°E / -8.77; 121.82
Geography
Kelimutu is located in Flores
Kelimutu
Kelimutu
Kelimutu
LocationEnde Regency, Flores Island, Indonesia
Geology
Mountain typeComplex volcano
Last eruptionJune to July 1968[1]
Kelimutu featured on a 5,000-rupiah banknote

Kelimutu (pronounced [kəliˈmutu]) is a volcano close to the small town of Moni in central Flores island in Indonesia. It is around 50 km (31 mi) to the east of Ende, Indonesia, the capital of Ende regency in East Nusa Tenggara province. It has three volcanic crater lakes that differ in color. Tiwi Ata Mbupu, on the western side of the island is blue in color while Tiwu Nua Muri Kooh Tai and Tiwu Ata Polo are usually colors of green and red. These lakes shift color due to changes that occur within the geology and chemistry of the volcano.

The science of the Kelimutu lakes is relatively well-known,[2] and the changes in color and temperature are concluded to be related to volcanic activity and the resulting fluid flux at vents at the bottom of the lakes.[3] The Lake colors periodically change due to adjustments in the oxidation-reduction status of the fluid of each lake, and also considering the abundance of different major elements, such as iron and manganese. Oxidation-reduction status depends on the balance of volcanic gas input and rainfall rate,[4] and is thought to be mediated by the groundwater system in the volcano itself.[5] The colors in the lakes change independently from each other, as each has its own unique connectivity to the underlying volcano's activity. Between January and November 2016, the colors of the craters changed six times.[6] Although it is widely believed that the changes are unpredictable, it is more accurate to say that the lack of any regular monitoring of the volcanic system precludes scientists from having the data necessary to drive widely available predictive models.

  1. ^ a b "Kelimutu". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  2. ^ "Dr. Gregory B. Pasternack - Watershed Hydrology, Geomorphology, and Ecohydraulics :: Keli Mutu". pasternack.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  3. ^ Murphy, Sam; Wright, Robert; Rouwet, Dmitri (January 2018). "Color and temperature of the crater lakes at Kelimutu volcano through time". Bulletin of Volcanology. 80 (1): 2. doi:10.1007/s00445-017-1172-2. ISSN 0258-8900. S2CID 85508274.
  4. ^ Pasternack, Gregory B.; Varekamp, Johan C. (1997-05-01). "Volcanic lake systematics I. Physical constraints". Bulletin of Volcanology. 58 (7): 528–538. doi:10.1007/s004450050160. ISSN 0258-8900. S2CID 140598280.
  5. ^ Pasternack, G. B. 1993. Acid-brine crater lake systematics: a case study. Undergraduate High Honors thesis. Wesleyan University, 160 pp, 4 appendices. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3414.1040.
  6. ^ Markus Makur (November 24, 2016). "Kelimutu lakes change color for the 6th time this year".