UNIVERSITAS GADJAH MADA

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON JAVAS SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS

Yogyakarta, 6-7 August 2009

Disappearance of the Javas Southern Mountains in Kebumen and Lumajang Depressions :

Tectonic Collapses and Indentations by
Javas Transverse Major Fault Zones

Awang H. Satyana
nd
BPMIGAS, Patra Office Tower, 22 Fl., Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto, Kav.32-34, Jakarta 12950
aharun@bpmigas.com

Keywords : tectonics, Java, Southern Mountains
ABSTRACT
The Southern Mountains is one of the van
Bemmelen (1949)s physiographic and structural
zones of Java. The mountains are uplifted crustal
blocks at the southernmost part of Java tilting to
the Indian Ocean and mainly composed of the
Oligo-Miocene volcanic-clastic rocks called as
Old Andesites. The mountains extend from
Pelabuhanratu Bay at West Java to Blambangan
Peninsula at the southeastern spur of East Java.
The mountains disappear at two areas forming
depressions : (1) Kebumen Depression, southern
Central Java, between Nusa Kambangan and the
mouth of the Opak River, and (2) Lumajang
Depression, southeastern spur of East Java,
between Pasirian and Puger. The coastal lines
where the Southern Mountains of Java disappear
indent significantly. Based on various data and
interpretations, it is proposed that two couples of
major fault zones, trending transversal to the Java
Island, are responsible for the disappearance of
the Southern Mountains in the Kebumen and
Lumajang depression areas. The faults had
collapsed the Southern Mountains subsiding
southward into the Indian Ocean and their
absences in the onshore area indent the coastal
lines. Seismic and petroleum exploration well
data located offshore to the south of Central Java
in the Indian Ocean show the presence of these
subsided mountains, hence confirming its
disappearance due to collapse and subsidence,
not due to uplift and erosion as proposed by Hall
(2007).
INTRODUCTION
Over almost the entire length of Java the strip
along the southern coastline is mountainous
terrain, called the Southern Mountains of Java,
with outcrops of folded and faulted volcanic-
clastic and marine sediments (primarily of Early
-1-
Miocene age but also somewhat older and
younger), collectively recognized as Old
Andesites rock group (van Bemmelen, 1949).
The mountains in some places are unconformably
overlain by relatively unstructured Middle
Miocene reefal carbonates like in the Southern
Mountains of East Java. Younger sediments are
absent, mostlikely due to non-deposition. Today,
the Southern Mountains where overlying reefal
carbonates dominate, are the sites of dramatic
karstified topography like in the Pegunungan
Sewu area (to the southeast of Yogyakarta) as the
result of Quaternary uplift.
In two areas, the Southern Mountains of Java,
disappear or absent; they are : (1) the area
between Nusa Kambangan and the Opak River to
the south of Yogyakarta, and (2) the area between
Pasirian and Puger (Lumajang Jember area).
Interestingly, where the Southern Mountains are
absent, the associated coastal lines indent
northward relative to the coastal areas with the
Southern Mountains. Gravity and seismic data, as
well as petroleum exploration well located at the
Indian Ocean to the south of the areas where the
Southern Mountains disappear, show that the
Southern Mountains are actually present, not
eroded as proposed by Hall (2007), but how did
they disappear from their onshore areas ?
PHYSIOGRAPHY
The Southern Mountains of Java are broadly
divided into three : (1) the Southern Mountains of
West Java, (2) the Southern Mountains of East
Java, and (3) the Southern Mountains of the
Eastern Spur of Java (van Bemmelen, 1949). To
the south of Central Java, the Southern
Mountains disappear (Figure 1).
The Southern Mountains of West Java are
continuous from the Pelabuhanratu Bay to Nusa
Kambangan area. The Southern Mountains of
East Java are continuous from the Opak River to
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the Sempu Island south of Malang. The Southern
Mountains of the Eastern Spur of Java are
discontinuous from the Sempu Island to the
Blambangan Peninsula.
The Southern Mountains of West Java have
average width of 50 km, but the eastern end
narrows down to some kilometers in the Island of
Nusa Kambangan. As s whole the Mountains tilt
some degree to the south. Physiographically,
three parts can be distinguished, from west to east
are : the Jampang, Pangalengan, and
Karangnunggal sections (van Bemmelen, 1949).
The Pangalengan section is the highest one,
crowned by several extinct volcanoes (e.g.
Kancana 2182 m). The Mountains break down
by step faults and flexures northward into the
Bandung Zone. The transition between the
elevated edge of the central part of the Southern
Mountains and the Bandung Zone, is masked by
the series of Quaternary volcanoes.
The disappearance of the Southern Mountains to
the south of Central Java give rise the Coastal
Plain of South Central Java. It is 10-25 km wide.
This part of the south coast forms a sharp contrast
with the rocky south coast of West and East Java.
The coastal plain is interrupted in the middle by
the Karangbolong and Kulon Progo Mountains.
The Southern Mountains of East Java are in
general an elevated block tilting oceanward in
which the erosion has been rejuvenated. The
northern border is marked by a complicated
escarpment. The maximum width of these
Southern Mountains is 55 km east of Yogyakarta,
whilst south of Blitar they narrow down to 25
km across. The westernmost part (between the
Opak River and Pacitan) consists partly of
limestones with typical karst phenomena called
the Pegunungan Sewu (Thousand Mountains
karstic phenomena resulting in numerous conical
hills). Between Pacitan and Popoh, to the south
of Trenggalek, the northern part of the Southern
Mountains consists of older volcanic deposits;
here also the remnants of the pre-Quaternary
peneplain can be observed. The Mountains
between Tulungagung and Malang, or to the
south of the Brantas River consists mainly of
limestones, with steep abrasion cliffs along the
coast of the Indian Ocean.
The Southern Mountains of the Eastern Spur of
Java are discontinuous forming three isolated
parts. The western part of the Mountains from the
Sempu Island (south of Malang) to Pasirian area
(south of Lumajang), are about 25 km wide,
directly connect with the Southern Mountains of
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East Java. Between Pasirian and Puger (to the
southwest of Jember), the Southern Mountains
are interrupted by the lowland/depression of
Lumajang. However, the island of Nusa Barung
(south of Puger) belongs structurally to
Mountains, forming a link with the next part of
the Southern Mountains between Puger and the
Baru River (Meru Betiri Mount, 1223 m). South
of Rogojampi, the lowland again reaches the
south coast. Finally, the easternmost fragment of
the Southern Mountains in this section of Java is
represented by the Peninsula of Blambangan,
linked to the main island by an isthmus, 22 km
wide.
TECTONICS AND VOLCANOLOGY
In the Central and East Java region the Tertiary
volcanic arc has been recorded as having three
distinct phases of activity. Based on groupings of
radiometric ages (Bellon et al. 1990) and the
stratigraphic occurrence of volcanic beds, the
following phases can be recognized :
1. an early active volcanic phase from about 50
to 19 Ma (mid Eocene to mid Early
Miocene),
2. a period of relative quiescence from about
19 Ma to about 11 Ma (late Middle
Miocene),
3. a considerable increase in volcanic activity
at about 11 Ma, with the volcanic chain
moving about 50 kilometers north to its
present position,
4. at about 3 Ma the volcanism changed with a
new series of active volcanoes along the
main arc, but also more K-rich volcanoes
lying off the arc trend (e.g. Gunung Muria
[1.1-0.4 Ma], offshore to the north on
Bawean Island [0.8-0.3 Ma], and Gunung
Lasem [1.6-1.1 Ma, but not especially K-
rich]).
Soeria-Atmadja et al (1994) recognized a
clumping of radiometric (mostly K-Ar) ages into
two groups of 40 Ma to 19 or 18 Ma (Old
Andesites) and a 12 Ma to Recent group. The
Southern Mountains of Java are part of the
volcanic arc of the period number 1 of Belon et
al. (1990) and Old Andesites (Soeria-Atmadja et
al., 1994). The volcanic arc was resulted from the
partial melting of the subducted Indian oceanic
crust with the contemporaneous trench position at
the present submarine ridge to the south of Java
(Hamilton, 1979).

Based on geochemistry and geochronology of
selected magmatic rocks distributed across the
Mountains, Soeria-Atmadja et al. (1994)
concluded that the oldest dated magmatic activity
in the Southern Mountains had taken place in
Late Eocene, but the main period was in the
Oligo-Miocene. The petrological characteristics
of the Mountains are preponderantly pyroxene
andesitic, with occasional outbursts of dacitic
tuffs. The pyroxene andesitic eruptions reached
their acme during the Lower Miocene (van
Bemmelen, 1949). This is agree with Hamilton
(1979) stating that the Mountains are dominantly
calc-alkaline. In addition to the andesitic
extrusives, there is reported to be a granite
batholith near Merawan in the Meru Betiri area.
This granite and associated dikes intrude and
reported alter some older Miocene limestones and
andesites but are then covered by the reefal
limestones.
Lava flows in this belt are of island-arc tholeiites
(Soeria-Atmadja et al., 1994). The rocks in the
Pacitan area consist of basaltic pillow lavas with
cross-cutting dykes. In the Bayat area, numerous
dykes and other intrusive bodies of mostly
basaltic composition are exposed. At Parangtritis,
the rocks consist of agglomerate, volcanic
breccia, and dykes of andesitic and basaltic
composition. In the Kulon Progo area, numerous
necks, lava domes, pyroclastic and laharic
breccias, and finer volcanic sediments are
exposed. In the Luk Ulo area, the rocks consist of
several andesitic to basaltic dykes and sills and
plugs intruded into the sedimentary cover of Late
Eocene to Early Miocene. Many lava flows and
laharic breccia of calc-alkaline composition are
exposed in the Pangandaran Cikatomas area
(southeastern West Java). In the Pelabuhanratu-
Bayah area, the rocks consist of andesitic to
basaltic lava flows, volcanic breccia, and tuffs.
The Southern Mountains of Java were partly
formed submarine volcanoes and
contemporaneous with the deposition of
Lepidocyclina-bearing limestones of Early to
Middle Miocene age (van Bemmelen, 1949).
Therefore, an arc of Eocene and Oligocene
volcanic islands is widely assumed to have been
present in medial or southern Java. The presence
of submarine volcanoes affected their association
with marine sedimentation, mainly carbonates.
The Southern Mountains of Java were partly
formed submarine volcanoes and
contemporaneous with the deposition of
Lepidocyclina-bearing limestones of Early to
Middle Miocene age (van Bemmelen, 1949).
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Therefore, an arc of Eocene and Oligocene
volcanic islands is widely assumed to have been
present in medial or southern Java. The presence
of submarine volcanoes affected their association
with marine sedimentation, mainly carbonates.
JAVAS SEGMENTING FAULTS
There are some published studies on the
structural patterns of Java Island based on surface
geology, gravity, magnetic, aerial photos, satellite
imagery, and seismic. These were compiled in
Satyana (2007). One of the structural grains of
Java important for this study is presences of
major faults trending transversal to the long-axis
of the Java Island. These major faults segment
the Java Island physiographically. These
transverse faults are considered to have
disappeared the Southern Mountains of Java in
several places by collapsing and subsiding them
southward into the Indian Ocean.
Interpretation of regional gravity data of Java
(Untung and Wiriosudarmo, 1975) and structure
(Situmorang et al., 1976) show the presences of
major transverse faults in Java (Figures 2, 3).
Fault zones important for this study are two
couples of major transverse faults in south
Central Java (Kebumen area) and south Eastern
Spur of Java (Lumajang area). Each couple has
two fault zones (strike-slip) which their trends
and slips are opposite to each other. The couple
of fault zones in Kebumen area are considered to
be responsible for the disappearance of the
Southern Mountains to the south of Central Java
and its coastal line indentation. The couple of
fault zones in Lumajang area are considered to be
responsible for the disappearance of the Southern
Mountains to the south of Eastern Spur of East
Java and its coastal line indentation.
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SOUTHERN
MOUNTAINS TO THE SOUTH OF
CENTRAL JAVA (KEBUMEN
DEPRESSION)
The role of major faults in Central Java for the
disappearance of the Southern Mountains in
onshore Central Java and indentation of its
coastal line was firstly proposed and argued by
Satyana and Purwaningsih (2002). Further works
on this by Satyana (2005, 2006, and 2007)
clarified the tectonic mechanism of this geologic
phenomenon (Figure 4).
Based on gravity, surface geology, seismic, and
satellite data, two major Paleogene strike-slip
fault zones with opposing trends and slips
position transversely on Central Java. The fault
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zones are called (1) the Muria-Kebumen Fault
Zones, left-lateral, trending southwest-northeast,
and (2) the Pamanukan-Cilacap Fault Zone, right-
lateral, trending northwest-southeast. The fault
zones are apart to each other at the northern
Central Java and meets at the southern Central
Java forming a fault triangle area. The apex of
triangle where the two fault zones meet is the
Karangbolong High. The slip of the fault zones
had dragged crustal mass within the triangle fault
zone southward. The uplift by the deformation
was higher southward approaching the apex of
the triangle due to the area for compensation was
more limited. Maximum uplift was in the apex
area and this is presently proved by maximum of
Bouguer gravity anomaly. This is the reason why
we have exposures of the pre-Tertiary rocks in
Luk Ulo area which was located in the apex area.
Outside surrounding the apex of the fault triangle
area, the tectonic contrast occurred due to
isostatic compensation. Here, as a response to
the uplift process within the triangle area, the
subsidence process occurred. Within the apex of
the triangle, the onshore Southern Mountains of
Central Java survived and forming the Karang
Bolong High composed by uplifted Old
Andesites. However, outside of the triangle area,
major subsidence occurred. This process had
subsided the rest of the onshore Southern
Mountains of Central Java, collapsing and
subsiding southward into the Indian Ocean. That
was the mechanism the Southern Mountains in
the onshore south Central Java disappeared. The
Mountains exist, but collapsing to the Indian
Ocean. Seismic sections (Sujanto et al., 1994)
prove this since they show the presence of the
Old Andesites Group of the Southern Mountains
in offshore area south of Banyumas covered by
Middle Miocene carbonates.
This is also proved by two petroleum exploration
wells drilled in offshore south Central Java.
Alveolina-1 and Borelis-1 drilled in the early
1970s (Bolliger and de Ruiter, 1975). Here, the
sedimentary seismic reflectors exist to more than
15,000 feet, and the Borelis-1 well shows that a
large part of this sedimentary fill is analogous to
the latest Miocene to Pliocene beds onshore;
indicating rapid deposition filling new basinal
areas created by the mid- Late Miocene tectonic
event (Lunt, 2007 unpublished). The Alveolina-
1 well drilled through condensed Neogene
clastics onlapping then covering a thick reefal
carbonate that had formed over an Old
Andesite volcanic high. Seismic data shows that
there are many other reefal build-ups in this
offshore area, equivalent to the Karangbolong,
4
Kalipucangan, Jonggrangan and other limestones
mapped onshore, all overlying the same Old
Andesite volcanics.
The tectonic subsidence outside of the fault area,
in addition to collapse of the Southern
Mountains, also resulted in two basinal areas
offshore flanking the Karang Bolong High : the
Western Deep and Eastern Deep. The absence of
the Southern Mountains in onshore south Central
Java had resulted in the lowland area called the
Kebumen Depression. Into the depression area,
the sea transgressed northward resulting in a
coastline indentation.
DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SOUTHERN
MOUNTAINS TO THE SOUTH OF
EASTERN SPUR OF JAVA (LUMAJANG
DEPRESSION)
The Southern Mountains of East Java are
segmented into fault blocks alternating lows and
highs. Seven main fault blocks, alternating four
lows and three highs, are identified (Nahrowi et
al., 1979). In each case the higher topography
had outcrops of the basal Miocene volcanics and
the low areas the younger, mid- Miocene
limestone. The borders to these zones are
roughly linear, suggesting basement faults are the
cause, even though outcropping faults are not
obvious (Lunt, 2007 unpublished).
Analogue to the Southern Mountains of East
Java, the Southern Mountains of the Eastern Spur
of Java are also segmented by major basement
faults as seen by their discontinuity. Significant
low areas in this area is a lowland between
Lumajang and Jember called here as Lumajang
Depression. The Southern Mountains disappear
from Lumajang Depression (van Bemmelen,
1949).
Interestingly, like that in the south Central Java,
the coastal line in this area also indents
northward. Couple of major faults also could
resulted in the disappearance of the Southern
Mountains in Lumajang Depression and its
coastal line indentation. Untung and
Wiriosudarmo (1975) and Situmorang et al.
(1976) interpreted the presence of these two
faults flanking to the west and east of Lumajang
Depression. The faults called here the Lumajang
Fault (NW-SE trending, dextral) and the Jember
Fault (SW-NE trending, sinistral), respectively.
They could be basement faults (strike-slip fault)
referring to fault blocks in the Pegunungan Sewu
(Nahrowi et al., 1979). The faults trend are
opposite to each other, apart in the northern area,
and approaching to each other southward,

forming almost fault triangle area. The apex of
the triangle fault area could be formed by the
meeting of the two faults around Nusa Barung
Island (analogue with the situation in south
Central Java where the Karang Bolong High
becomes the meeting place of the Muria-
Kebumen and Pamanukan-Cilacap Fault Zones).
The tectonic mechanism for the disappearance of
the Southern Mountains in this area in not clear
yet and could be not the same as that in the south
Central Java. Uplifted dragged mass southward
between the Lumajang and Jember Faults could
be exist or not. Gravity data showing higher
Bouguer anomaly southward may indicate more
uplifted mass approaching the apex area offshore
around Nusa Barung Island. If this were true, the
mechanism for the disappearance of the Southern
Mountains here is like that in the south of Central
Java, namely by isostatic compensation outside
of triangle fault area the Southern Mountains
collapsed and subsided into the Indian Ocean.
The island to the south of Lumajang Depression,
called Nusa Barung, is critical on this
mechanism. The island is a part of the Southern
Mountains covered by Middle Miocene
carbonates of Puger Limestone (age equivalent
with Wonosari Limestones in Pegunungan Kidul
east of Yogyakarta) (van Bemmelen, 1949). If the
Southern Mountains of Nusa Barung are isolated,
this can be analogue to the Karang Bolong High
implying that the absent of the Southern
Mountains here by the same mechanism of
tectonic collapse outside of the triangle area
formed by the Lumajang and Jember Faults. If
the Southern Mountains of Nusa Barung is a link
with the next part of the Southern Mountains
between Puger and Baru River (Meru Betiri
Southern Mountains), the disappearance of the
Southern Mountains to the south of the Eastern
Spur of Java in Lumajang Depression may not
by same mechanism as that to the south of
Central Java.
Another mechanism of the disappearance of the
Southern Mountains to the south of the Eastern
Spur of Java could also be related to other couple
of major transverse faults flanking the Lumajang
Depression as reported by van Bemmelen (1949).
The two faults are dip-slip faults or rifts trending
north-south transversing the eastern spur of East
Java. The two faults are the Tengger-Semeru and
the Iyang-Argopuro Fault Zones, located to the
west and east of Lumajang area, respectively.
The fault zones are slightly concave to Lumajang
area indicating that the two faults had subsided
the Lumajang area and its Southern Mountains.
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Satyana
The fault/rift zones bordering the Lumajang
Depression have become the sites of evolution of
Semeru-Bromo and Argopuro volcanoes since
Pleistocene time.
Whatever the mechanism, it appears that the
disappearance of the Southern Mountains in
Lumajang Depression was resulted from collapse
and subsidence of the Southern Mountains by
segmenting basement faults. The absence of the
Southern Mountains then resulted in the
indentation of the coastal line between Lumajang
and Jember area.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The Southern Mountains of Java are the
Oligo-Miocene volcanic arc composed of
volcanic-clastics and in many places covered
by Middle-Late Miocene carbonates
presently uplifted and tilted southward and
show karstic topography.
2. The Southern Mountains do not form
continuous strip along the southern part of
Java. They disappear significantly in two
areas : to the south of Central Java (Kebumen
Depression) and to the south of Eastern Spur
of Java (Lumajang Depression). Where the
Southern Mountains disappear, the coastal
lines indent northward.
3. The disappearance of the Southern
Mountains in Kebumen Depression is due to
collapse and subsidence of the mountains
into the Indian Ocean related to isostatic
compensation of uplift of the Karang Bolong
High by couple of major strike-slip faults of
Muria-Kebumen and Pamanukan-Cilacap.
4. The disappearance of the Southern
Mountains in Lumajang Depression is not
clear yet, either due to collapse and
subsidence of the mountains into the Indian
Ocean related to couple of major strike-slip
faults of Lumajang and Jember, or to couple
of major dip-slip faults of Tengger-Semeru
and Iyang-Argopuro.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I acknowledge the Management of BPMIGAS for
permission and support given to me to participate
this symposium. I thank : Mukti Maruf (LIPI-
Indonesian Science Institute) for informing me
this symposium, Agus Hendratno and Dyah
Kusuma (Geology Department, Uiversity of
Gadjah Mada) for helping me on administration
procedure with the Committee of the symposium.
Satyana

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Figure 1 : Physiographic map of Java and Madura. The Southern Mountains are the southernmost
physiographic unit. The Mountains disappear to the south of Central Java (Kebumen
Depression) and to the south of Eastern Spur of Java (Lumajang Depression). Bold red lines
represent borders of the absence of the mountains (map from van Bemmelen, 1949).

Figure 2 : Above Bouguer gravity anomaly (in mGal) of Java and Madura. The Southern
Mountains of Java are characterized by high Bouguer anomaly. Below Important structural
elements of Java and Madura based on gravity anomaly. Note the occurrences of couples of
major faults crossing transversely Central Java, meet in Kebumen Depression and south of
Eastern Spur of Java in Lumajang Depression (after Untung and Wiriosudarmo, 1979)

7
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Figure 3 : Important structural elements of Java and Madura. Note the couples of major faults
flanking Central Java and Lumajang Depression. These faults are considered to have played
roles for indenting the coastal lines in these areas. (map from Situmorang et al., 1976)

Figure 4 : The mechanism by which the Southern Mountains of Central Java disappear. Central
Java has been flanked by couple of major faults of Kebumen-Muria and Pamanukan-Cilacap,
opposing on trends and slips. Within the triangle of faults, crustal masses were dragged and to
be more uplifted southward due to the slips of faults. Highest gravity anomaly on Karang
Bolong High (+110 mGal) and exposures of pre-Tertiary rocks in Luk Ulo prove the southern
uplift. Outside of the triangle area, isostatic compensation occurred : subsidence occurred. This
had collapsed the Southern Mountains once existed on the onshore south Central Java,
subsiding southward into the Indian Ocean and disappeared from onshore area. Western and
Eastern Deeps were formed as response to the collapse and subsidence of the mountains.