Why Was the Krakatoa Eruption So Loud?

The Krakatoa eruption was one of the loudest ever recorded events. Its explosion was 172 decibels loud, which is more than twice as loud as the loudest concert ever recorded. It also created an air shockwave that circled the world three to four times, in all directions. Ocean waves were also affected, with some of them rising three or four times their normal height. This phenomenon has been referred to as a ‘great air-wave’.

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acoustic shadow zone

During the Krakatoa eruption, many volcanic activities occurred. This eruption caused the area around the volcano to experience fast and slow changes, and had significant effects on the people and climate of the island. For example, the area around Krakatoa was affected by the ash fall, which resulted in steam rising.

Acoustic noises from an active volcano are often obscured by clouds. However, they can still produce audible signals that are a sign of gas or solid material erupting. Richards (1963) recorded audible volcanic noises, indicating that such sources generate substantial low-frequency acoustic energy. Since then, many other investigators have used microphones sensitive to infrasonic frequencies to detect these emissions.

The eruption also produced a large amount of atmospheric aerosols. More than 13 km3 of these aerosols were released into the atmosphere and caused a 20% reduction in solar transmission. While the aerosols from this eruption had a limited climatic influence, they were concentrated in northern latitudes, where they may have had an indirect effect on the atmospheric aerosol loading.

movement of tectonic plates

The Krakatoa eruption was a violent event that killed tens of thousands of people in Indonesia. A tsunami followed the climactic blast, and a 120-foot wall of water was deposited on the island. It wiped out 165 coastal villages on the island of Sumatra and Java, and even deposited a steamship near the inland part of the island. Scientists have since determined that the eruption of Krakatoa was caused by the movement of tectonic plates, which are constantly moving against each other. This movement produces a high amount of geological stress and can cause earthquakes and volcanoes.

The Krakatoa eruption was one of the most spectacular natural disasters in recorded history. It emitted a sound that was so loud that it was heard as far away as Australia and Great Britain. This explosion was so powerful that it was capable of deafening everyone within a 50-kilometer radius. It was so powerful that barometers all over the world recorded drops in atmospheric pressure. The sound of the Krakatoa eruption traveled 3,000 miles in one day and created waves that were heard as far as Australia and Southeast Asia.

explosion of 200 megatons of TNT

In the aftermath of the Krakatoa eruption, the surrounding area was struck by tsunamis up to 40 meters high, destroying more than 160 villages. The explosion’s air pressure wave continued to be felt for five days after the event and for six orbits around the Earth. The force of the explosion is estimated to be equivalent to 200 to 2,000 megatons of TNT. That is ten to a hundred times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Scientists analyzed the data from barographs that recorded the explosion. During the eruption, there was a large spike in the air pressure for about 34 hours, which was felt in over fifty cities. This spike in pressure was due to ash that travelled 50 miles into the air, blocking the sun for two and a half days.

The massive eruption was followed by the collapse of unsupported volcanic chambers and a huge underwater caldera. The resulting tsunamis were devastating, causing more than three thousand deaths. The waves were so high, in fact, that they could be heard in New York City. The sound is regarded as one of the loudest sounds ever recorded in human history.

tsunami waves caused by krakatoa eruption

In 1883, a massive stratovolcano erupted on the island of Krakatoa, Indonesia, causing a devastating tsunami that struck the Sunda Strait. The eruption blew away the northern two-thirds of the island and created a huge underwater caldera. The tsunami waves, which reached as far as Australia and New Zealand, were caused by the combined effects of the eruption and the collapse of the volcano.

The volcano’s ash flooded the ocean floor, causing the water levels to rise quickly. The ash was so hot and turbid that it was pushed out over the ocean floor, wiping out all life in its path. The ash has been linked to the breaking of communication cables and the triggering of tsunamis.

The waves were so large that they displaced at least 33,000 people. At least one meter high, the waves were larger than the Statue of Liberty. At one point, they reached the height of Big Ben in London. As they traveled across the ocean, the waves began to diminish in size, due to friction and gravity. By the time they hit land, the waves were only about 80 metres high.