Satonda Volcanic Island in West Nusa Tenggara

Satonda Volcanic Island in West Nusa Tenggara - Two European scientists named Stephan Kempe and Josef Kazmierczak researching Satonda lake in Indonesia at 1984, 1989 and 1996. The results of their study mentioned that Satonda is a rare phenomenon because of the salty water with alkalinity levels (alkalinity) is much higher than sea water generally. Both contend, Satonda basin coincided with the formation of craters old age more than 10,000 years ago. (Microbialites and Hydrochemistry of the Crater Lake of Satonda ", 1996). Not many people have heard island called Satonda. This volcanic island is land formed by the volcanic eruption on the sea floor as deep as 1000 meters since millions of years ago. What a very charming island is located in the Flores Sea and administratively entered Nangamiro Village area, Dompu, West Nusa Tenggara.

Satonda volcanic island looks stunning when viewed from the top of Mount Tambora which is located approximately 30 kilometers. Many say it feels incomplete if it does not climb Mount Tambora visited Satonda. Reportedly Satonda more popular among foreign tourists that make it sort of stopped when visited the island of Komodo National Park from Bali or Lombok. They usually come around to taking snorkel around the coastal waters Satonda has stunning white sand.

In addition to having the potential of a diverse, ranging from the exotic natural volcanic mountains and the presence of salt water lake in the crater, Satonda also store a wealth of coral reefs in the surrounding waters. Satonda has been designated a Marine Nature Park (TWAL) in 1999 by the Ministry of Forestry. That's because the potential has a wealth of natural sea coral reefs.

There are several types of coral in the waters around the island Satonda, namely Acroporidae, Xenia sp, Favidae, Sarcophyton sp, sp Labophyton, Hetractris crispa, Nephtea sp, sp Capnella, Lemnalia sp and sp Astrospicularis. Surely in the living corals are also many species of ornamental fish and other sea creatures. Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imricata) is also often seen swimming and foraging around coral reefs Satonda.

As for the types of marine flora around the island vukanis is ketapang (Terminalia catappa), sea pandanus (Pandanus tectorius), fig (Ficus sp), sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus), nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum), Mentigi (Pempis sp) and tamarind (Tamarindus indica). In addition to tourist destinations, the island volcano area of ​​2600 hectares of which is managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Center West Nusa Tenggara is also frequented by scientists and researchers from both within and outside the country. One reason is because of the existence of the island that one can not be separated from the eruption of Mount Tambora phenomenon that shook the world on 15 April 1815.

How not, the eruption of Mount Tambora have rocked several parts of the world, and dust pollute the Earth's atmosphere for many years, even tear the thin ozone layer. Tambora eruption effects also result in climate change that rained nonstop for eight weeks in the UK were triggered typhus epidemic that killed 65,000 people. The eruption of Mount Tambora also led daylight into darkness and affecting crop failure in China, Europe, and Ireland and led to food shortages in these countries.

Regarding the effects of the eruption of Mount Tambora, the presence of salt water lake in the crater Satonda is one of the unique and interesting effects to be studied. Satonda crater resembles a figure eight with a diameter of 950 meters each (the south) and 400 meters (north-east). This ancient lake formed from Satonda eruption thousands of years ago. Satonda volcano supposedly older than Mount Tambora, or grow along with several parasitic volcanoes scattered around the Tambora. Lake formed in the crater was once filled with freshwater Satonda; eruption of Mount Tambora resulting tsunami drove the sea water filled crater and turn it into a salt water lake today.