Billy Mitchell (volcano)

Billy Mitchell volcano
The dark-colored caldera lake of Billy Mitchell is at right, above an ash plume originating from Bagana.
Elevation	1,544 m (5,066 ft)
Location
Location	Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
Range	Emperor Range
Coordinates	6°06′S 155°13′E / 6.1°S 155.217°E / -6.1; 155.217Coordinates: 6°06′S 155°13′E / 6.1°S 155.217°E / -6.1; 155.217
Geology
Type	Pyroclastic shield
Volcanic arc/belt	Bougainville & Solomon Is.
Last eruption	1580 ± 20 years

Billy Mitchell
Location	Bougainville Island
Coordinates	6°06′00″S 155°13′00″E / 6.1°S 155.21667°E / -6.1; 155.21667 (Billy Mitchel (crater lake))
Lake type	crater lake
Basin countries	Papua New Guinea
Surface area	~3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi)[1]
Max. depth	~90 metres (300 ft)[1]

Billy Mitchell is a volcano located in the central part of the island of Bougainville, just northeast of the Bagana Volcano, in Papua New Guinea. It is a small, pyroclastic shield truncated by a 2 km wide caldera filled by a crater lake.^[2]

The last two major eruptions were more than 400 (in 1580 AD ± 20 years) and 900 years ago. They were among the largest Holocene eruptions in Papua New Guinea. Both were explosive eruptions with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of at least 5. The eruption that occurred in 1580 AD ± 20 years produced pyroclastic flows and caused the formation of its caldera.^[3]

The ignimbrite deposit from that eruption, which had a VEI of 6, extends 22 kilometres (14 mi) from the caldera to the coast, and its volume is around 10 cubic kilometres (2.4 cu mi).^[1]

The volcano is named for American general Billy Mitchell.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of volcanoes in Papua New Guinea
• Timetable of major worldwide volcanic eruptions

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} The Billy Mitchell volcano at VolcanoLive.com
2. ^ The Billy Mitchell at the Global Volcanism Program website
3. ^ The Billy Mitchell erupts at the Global Volcanism Program website

External links

• Photo of the Billy Mitchell Crater Lake
• "Billy Mitchell". Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution. http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0505-011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.