Volcano Study

ROBERT W. DECKER, Assistant Professor of Geology who is on leave to the University of Kentucky this year, has recently led a twelve-man scientific team to the island of Krakatau, a volcanic hotspot located in the narrow Sunda Straits between Java and Sumatra. This group, the first major expedition to visit the island since 1953, was sponsored by the Indonesian government which has grown a bit uneasy about reports of renewed disturbances in the area.

The original Krakatau erupted and disintegrated in 1883, killing some 36,000 people in what was perhaps the greatest natural catastrophe of modern times. Efects from the blast created tidal waves which were felt as far away as the United States Pacific Coast, and the vast quantities of volcanic dust ejected into the atmosphere were responsible for magnificent crimson sunsets viewed around the world for many years afterward.

On their recent visit, Professor Decker and his associates have primarily concerned themselves with Anak Krakatau, meaning son of Krakatau, which was formed only in 1927 by eruptions from the old crater. A good bit of renewed volcanic activity has been reported from this island which has grown 500 feet into the air and almost a mile wide in the 33 years of its existence. During their two-day stay in this area the scientists made seismic observations and also a topographic survey of the island which measured considerable growth even since the last report in 1953.

Professor Decker reported that explosive eruptions of gases, cinders, and chunks of lava rock more than six feet in diameter occurred from thirty seconds to ten minutes apart. Maximum eruptions hurled hot, solid rock bombs as much as 1,500 feet into the air, to be followed by a large "black mushroom cloud of gas and ashes which rapidly rose some 3,000 to 4,000 feet before losing turbulence. Several expedition members narrowly escaped being hit by lava bombs, some of them estimated as hot as 400 degrees centigrade. This solid material is characteristic of island arc volcanoes where liquid lava flows are uncommon.

According to Professor Decker's report, the present eruptions and ejected material indicate that Anak Krakatau is still in a construction stage. At the present rate of rebuilding, an island approaching pre-1883 bulk will take sev- eral hundred years; though the government, with its capital at Djakarta only a hundred miles away, still has good reason for concern.

The scientists are currently finding the island an excellent place to observe volcanic phenomena and mechanisms and to test new instruments and hypotheses. Professor Decker, who got involved with the expedition through the University of Kentucky which serves as contractor on U.S. foreign aid in education to Indonesia, will return to Dartmouth next September. He is also presently associated with the Institute of Technology in Bandung as an associate professor of geology. On four successive Sunday afternoons, February 28 through March 20, the four bright "varsity scholars" pictured above represented Dartmouth before a nationwide CBS-TV audience while competing in the G. E. College Bowl. In contests of general knowledge and quick wits in answering before the other team, the Dartmouth foursome defeated Bryn Mawr, Rice, and Williams, and then got eliminated by New York University.

Acquired for Dartmouth through their impressive cerebration, and the coaching of Prof. Almon B. Ives of the Speech Department, was a total of $5,000 in scholarship grants from General Electric - three winning grants of $1,500 each and a runner-up grant of $500.

The team members, left to right, were:

Allan W. Cameron '6O of Oak Ridge, Tenn., international relations major, Rufus Choate Scholar, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Until recently he was general manager of WDCR, student radio station.

David E. Bond '60 of Burlington, Ont., Canada, Senior Fellow in economics and recent winner of a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for graduate study. He is a Rufus Choate Scholar, manager of crew, and a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Stanley P. Bates '61 of Glendale, Calif., philosophy major and Rufus Choate Scholar. He is active in the DCU and belongs to Kappa Kappa Kappa.

Carl E. Maves '63 of La Canada, Calif., a freshman with amazing knowledge and memory, who plans to major in English. He is active in The Players.

Anak Krakatau volcano in action.