Effects and Behavior of Pyroclastic and Lahar Deposits of the 2010 Merapi Eruption Based on High-resolution Optical Imagery

Abstract

The 26 October-23 November 2010, eruption is Merapi's largest event (VEI 4) over the past 140 years. We tracked and identified the 2010 Merapi's PDC deposits in the most impacted catchment (South) using high-resolution optical (from GeoEye and SPOT-5 satellites as well as low altitude photograph) imagery. We show that high-resolution imagery enables mapping with unprecedented detail the effects of the 2010 eruption in the summit area and across the most devastated catchment on Merapi. We investigated the relationships between the morphology of the river channel, and the apparent behavior of the PDCs and lahars, as deduced from over-banking processes. The 2010 pyroclastic deposits cover an area of ∼27 km2 in the Gendol-Opak catchment, i.e. 35% of the total deposit area. We analyze how unconfined PDCs with over-bank and veneer facies, as well as two types of surges have mantled widespread areas on both sides of the Gendol valley which contain the confined PDC deposits. Geometric and geomorphic characteristics that allow over bank and veneer deposits beyond the main valley are: limited cross-sectional areas under 1500 m2 and the decreasing longitudinal rate of channel confinement. Subsequent lahars six months after the eruption have devastated several villages along the Gendol River 20km from the summit on the ring plain. Small areas down-valley was affected by over-bank lahars once pyroclastic deposits were remobilized 3.8km farther than the PDC front. The over-bank and avulsed lahars can be attributed to the limited capacity (200-250 m2) of river channels and meandering river (sinuosity index of 1.25) across the lowest-angle (<2°) ring plain. Lahars now threaten the area of the iconic Prambanan temples and towards the Yogyakarta airport farther down the Opak River.