Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

The Volcanological Service Support Project was established as a result of the destructive 1994 volcanic eruption ( AusAID Focus Vol. 15 no.3 [PDF 878KB ]) at Rabaul and was aimed at strengthening the Papua New Guinea volcanological service through RVO.

Recently acquired seismic reflection and gravity potential field data was used to investigate the distribution of volcanic facies and large scale structural architecture of the Mentelle Basin, located on the southwestern margin of Australia. Isochron and seismic facies maps were used to identify the thickness and distribution of volcanic facies. These maps show that volcanism is generally confined to the Western Mentelle Basin, with two distinct areas of thick volcanic deposits occurring to the centre and north of the area. Two and three dimensional gravity forward models were created in IGMAS+. Two dimensional gravity modelling shows that the crust is extremely thin in the Western Mentelle (c.10km), associated with two mantle highs observed to the north and centre of the Western Mentelle. The crust thickens from the Eastern Mentelle (>20km) towards mainland Australia and the Naturaliste Plateau. The two modelled mantle highs coincide with the two seismically defined areas of thick volcanic deposits. Analogue models indicate that rift related volcanism is generally confined to the locus of extension where the pressure is lowest. Thus results of gravity modelling and seismic interpretation in this study indicate that Jurassic - Cretaceous extension was focussed in the Western Mentelle. This conclusion conforms to models of rift related basin formation, where the flanks of the basin are uplifted; an angular unconformity in the Eastern Mentelle may support the occurrence of rift-flank uplift in this area as a result of asthenospheric rise and rifting while the deposition of volcanic material was focussed in the Western Mentelle.

The Volcanoes education resource comprises; - 60 page booklet including causes of volcanic eruptions, volcano types, where volcanoes are found and why, Australia's hot spot volcanoes and the hazards and benefits of volcanoes - 3 reproducible student activities This booklet covers a wide range of issues concerning volcanoes. Activities cover the science of eruptions and their impact on people & students can form a team to monitor a hazardous volcano! Suitable for primary level Years 5-6 and secondary level Years 7-10

On the 12th July the writer was informed by signal originated by the A.D.O. Baluan Island, that explosive activity had recommenced at the St. Andrew Strait vents. The writer departed Rabaul by air from Momote on the 14th July and arrived at Baluan per Administration work boat on the evening of the 15th July. En route to Momote on the evening of the 14th a brief aerial inspection was made of the active area. Two small craters were visible above sea level and some minor explosions originated from the western crater during this inspection. The writer spent one week in the area and departed Baluan on the 21st July. During this period, as no further explosive activity was manifest, two ground inspections were made of the western crater. The day after the writer departed Baluan mild activity (mainly effusive) recommenced at the eastern crater. The name Tuluman (Tuluman being the word for hot in the Manus language) has been proposed for this new volcano. The name embraces the whole of the structure, that is, the two small cones above sea level as well as the submarine portion of the structure. The two small structures above sea level are referred to as east and west Tuluman craters respectively.

Legacy product - no abstract available

A recent survey by Geoscience Australia acquired new exploration data and samples in the frontier offshore Lord Hose Rise (LHR) Capel-Faust region. This survey identified a number of volcanic features including cones, flows and sill-related features on the seafloor. Based on analysis of seismic data in the region (s302) and swath bathymetry, there are at least two distinct ages of volcanism exposed on the seafloor; Miocene-Pliocene (approximately 4-7 Ma) cones with a largely unmodified conical shape and Eocene-Oligocene volcanic features. The Eocene-Oligocene edifices can be seen on seismic profiles to extend from Palaeocene-Eocene and Eocene-Oligocene unconformities, in many cases overlying basement highs, through a blanket of marine ooze, to be exposed on the seafloor. Each cone is surrounded by a moat where the currents have eroded sediment. The Gifford Guyot (approximately 18 Ma), part of the Lord Howe Seamount chain was included in the survey area. Volcanic features are common on the seafloor of the Lord Howe Rise and in the neighbouring Tasman Basin, with two identified north-south seamount hotspot chains to the west of the Capel-Faust region that have been active from the Miocene to recent. The ZoNéCo 5 survey also identified a few small conical seamounts on the northern LHR, along a roughly north-northwest trend, dated as Early Miocene. The younger Capel-Faust seamounts are aligned with these and the age relationships suggest they could be part of a single seamount chain. The older Eocene-Oligocene cones do not show any preferred alignment within the survey area and are too old to be related to the current hotspot activity identified in the region. Presented to the Australian Earth Sciences Convention (AESC) 4 - 8th July 2010

Legacy product - no abstract available