Mount Merbabu (Indonesian: Gunung Merbabu) is a dormant stratovolcano in Central Java province on the Indonesian island of Java. The name Merbabu could be loosely translated as 'Mountain of Ash' from the Javanese combined words; Meru means "mountain" and awu or abu means "ash".

Mount Merbabu
Mt Merbabu viewed from Mount Merapi
Highest point
Elevation3,145 m (10,318 ft)[1]
Prominence2,432 m (7,979 ft)[1]
ListingUltra
Ribu
Coordinates07°27′18″S 110°26′24″E / 7.45500°S 110.44000°E / -7.45500; 110.44000[1]
Naming
English translationMountain of ash
Language of nameIndonesian
Geography
Mount Merbabu is located in Java
Mount Merbabu
Mount Merbabu
Mount Merbabu is located in Indonesia
Mount Merbabu
Mount Merbabu
Mount Merbabu (Indonesia)
Parent rangeSunda Arc
Geology
Rock age700.000 Years
Mountain typeDormant stratovolcano
Last eruption1797
Climbing
Easiest routeHike starting near Kopeng

The active volcano Mount Merapi is directly adjacent on its southeast side, while the city of Salatiga is located on its northern foothills. A 1,500m high broad saddle lies between Merbabu and Merapi,[2] the site of the village of Selo, Java, and highly fertile[3][4] farming land.

There are two peaks; Syarif (3,119 m) and Kenteng Songo (3,145 m). Three U-shaped radial valleys extend from the Kenteng Songo summit in northwesterly, northeasterly, and southeasterly directions.

Grasslands at the mountain's summit

Two known moderate eruptions occurred in 1560 and 1797. The 1797 event was rated 2: Explosive, on the volcanic explosivity index.[5] An unconfirmed eruption may have occurred in 1570.[6]

Geologically recent eruptions originated from a North Northwest-South Southeast fissure system that cut across the summit and fed the large-volume lava flows from Kopeng and Kajor craters on the northern and southern flanks, respectively.[2]

Merbabu can be climbed from several routes originating from the town of Kopeng on the northeast side, and also from Selo on the southern side. A climb from Kopeng to Kenteng Songo takes between 8 and 10 hours.[citation needed]

An area of 57 square kilometres (22 sq mi) at the mountain has been declared a national park in 2004.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mountains of the Indonesian Archipelago" Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
  2. ^ a b "Merbabu: General Information". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  3. ^ Troll, Valentin R.; Deegan, Frances M.; Jolis, Ester M.; Budd, David A.; Dahren, Börje; Schwarzkopf, Lothar M. (2015-03-01). "Ancient oral tradition describes volcano–earthquake interaction at merapi volcano, indonesia". Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography. 97 (1): 137–166. doi:10.1111/geoa.12099. ISSN 0435-3676. S2CID 129186824.
  4. ^ Wilson, T (2007). "Impacts of the 2006 eruption of Merapi volcano, Indonesia, on agriculture and infrastructure". GNS Science Report. 07: 69p.
  5. ^ "Merbabu: Eruptive History". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  6. ^ Simkin, T., and Siebert, L., 1994, Volcanoes of the World: Geoscience Press, Tucson, Arizona, 349 p.
  7. ^ Lestari Hutan Indonesia Archived 2010-04-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
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