Expert says Anak Krakatau activity is unrelated to Sunda Strait megathrust cycle

Anak Krakatau’s volcanic activity is not linked to the Sunda Strait megathrust cycle, according to Danny Hilman Natawijaya, a research professor at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, or BRIN.

Speaking to Republika about the volcano and the possibility of a major megathrust earthquake, Natawijaya said the two processes involve separate systems. He acknowledged that volcanic and tectonic activity can theoretically interact, but said there is no basis for connecting Anak Krakatau’s activity to the megathrust cycle.

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Not related, not related. The megathrust site is a separate system.

“Not related, not related. The megathrust site is a separate system,” he said. He added that any possible interaction between magma release at Krakatau and tectonic strain would remain theoretical.

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The volcanic system and the earthquake system are separate, but they can interact, especially when the locations are close.

Natawijaya explained that volcanoes and tectonic earthquakes are not completely isolated from one another, particularly when they occur in nearby locations. Anak Krakatau is influenced by tectonic conditions because it lies in a tectonic zone, he said, but that does not establish a connection with the Sunda Strait megathrust.

He said tectonic activity can, in some circumstances, trigger volcanic activity. The reverse process, in which volcanic activity triggers tectonic activity, occurs much less often, he said.

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Sometimes the interaction can trigger volcanic activity. But the reverse is quite rare, when an eruption or volcanic activity triggers tectonic activity.