Krakatoa! by

Krakatoa!

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 00:24:28 UTC

By Nicholas Carter

Location

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 00:35:07 UTC

Krakatoa was a volcano located in the Sunda Strait between the island of Java and Sumatra. In terms of latitude and longitude, it was 6.1 degrees south and 105.4 degrees east

Size and Status

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 00:42:50 UTC

Krakatoa stood at 813 meters tall, and measured 5 kilometers wide by 9 kilometers long. Krakatoa was completely destroyed in its 1883 eruption, but has since been replaced by a new volcano, named Anak Krakatoa, which translates to "Child of Krakatoa". Anak Krakatoa is a active volcano that has growing steadily since it first emerged from the ocean in 1927. (Below- Anak Krakatoa eruption at night.)

The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 01:03:22 UTC

The last and most devastating eruption of Krakatoa was on August 27th, 1883, when Krakatoa violently erupted, creating massive pyroclastic flows and devastating tsunamis. In the end, an estimated 36,000 people were killed because of the eruption. (Below- a U.K. newspaper's front headline showing the eruption an artist's rendition of the tsunami and eruption.)

Other Eruptions

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 01:11:03 UTC

The only other known eruption of Krakatoa, referenced in Pustaka Raja (Javanese Book of Kings) is estimated to have occurred in either 416 AD or 535 AD. While data has suggested that there has been been several smaller eruptions in Krakatoa's past, no accurate records exist to verify them.

Impact of 1883 Eruption

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 01:17:41 UTC

The impact of the 1883 eruption is staggering. The eruption created fast-moving pyroclastic flows and massive tsunami's, the effects of which could be felt around the world. In all, an estimated 36,000 people dies, making it the second worst volcanic eruption in terms of deaths in recorded history. Also, the eruption completely destroyed Krakatoa, sending it below the sea for nearly 50 years

Ancient and Historical Importence

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 01:28:13 UTC

The eruption of Krakatoa, while having no real importance in ancient history, is known today for the scientific knowledge it provided scientists. Once Anak Krakatoa rose above the sea in 1927, scientists went there to study how life would form on the island, as it had been effectively sterilized by the 1883 eruption.

Interesting and Important Facts

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 01:31:30 UTC

-The sound created by the eruption of Krakatoa could be heard 2,500 miles away in the city of Perth, Australia, making it one of loudest sounds heard in modern times.

-Krakatoa, while being one of the worst eruptions in modern times, is second in the number of deaths caused to another Indonesian volcano, Mount Tambora. It killed an estimated 92,000 people when it erupted on April 10th, 1815.

-After the eruption, dawn did not return to the area surrounding Krakatoa because of the estimated 11 cubic miles of debris that was hurled into the atmosphere during the eruption.

-Because of the amount of gasses released during the eruption, the atmosphere was dramatically different for the next few years. Alongside creating dramatic sunsets all the way in Europe and the United States, it lowered global temperatures up to 1.2 degrees cooler for the next five years.

-Many of the victims on the nearby island suffered not only from the tsunamis created by the volcano, but also the pyroclastic flows that came from the volcano. This means that the pyroclastic flows traveled at least 40 kilometers over the ocean from the volcanic island.

Sources

snowdude645 — 2015-06-26 01:56:36 UTC

-http://www.livescience.com/28186-krakatoa.html

-http://www.photovolcanica.com/VolcanoInfo/Krakatau/Krakatau.html

-http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/krakatau

-http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/deadliest-eruption

-http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01640/KRAKATOA-280_1640116a.jpg

-http://www.photovolcanica.com/VolcanoInfo/Krakatau/KRAK08_0280.jpg