Stromboli
October 2011
Location: 38.789° N, 15.213° E
Elevation: 926 m
Stromboli is a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily, containing one of the three active volcanoes
in Italy. It is one of the eight Aeolian Islands, a volcanic arc north of Sicily. The island's population is between 400 and 850.
The volcano has erupted many times, and is constantly active with minor eruptions, often visible from many points on the
island and from the surrounding sea, giving rise to the island's nickname "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean". The last major
eruption was on April 13, 2009. Stromboli stands 926 m above sea level, but actually rises over 2,000 m above the sea
floor. There are three active craters at the peak. A significant geological feature of the volcano is the Sciara del Fuoco
("Stream of fire"), a big horseshoe-shaped depression generated in the last 13,000 years by several collapses on the
northwestern side of the cone. Two kilometres to the northeast lies Strombolicchio, the volcanic plug remnant of the
original volcano.
Stromboli has been in almost one continuous eruption for the past 20,000 years. This pattern of eruption has been
maintained, in which explosions occur at the summit craters with mild to moderate eruptions of incandescent volcanic
bombs at intervals ranging from minutes to hours. This characteristic Strombolian eruption, as it is known, is also observed
at other volcanoes worldwide. Eruptions from the summit craters typically result in a few second-lasting mild energetic
bursts emitting ash, incandescent lava fragments and lithic blocks up to a few hundred metres in height. Stromboli's activity
is almost exclusively explosive, but lava flows do occur at times: an effusive eruption in 2002 was its first in 17 years. The
mildly explosive eruptions are also occasionally punctuated by much larger eruptions. The largest eruption of the last
hundred years occurred in 1930, and resulted in the deaths of several people and the destruction of a number of houses
by flying volcanic bombs. Large eruptions occur at intervals of years to decades, and the most recent large eruption began
in 2002, causing the closure of the island to non-residents for several months. The eruption started with a lava flow (29
December 2002) along the "Sciara del Fuoco" flank that rapidly reached the sea. On 30 December 2002, a huge volume of
rocks collapsed from the "Sciara del Fuoco" generating at least two landslides and many tsunami waves. The highest wave
was 10 m high and caused serious damage at the Stromboli village. On 5 April 2003, a strong explosion from the summit
crater ejected rocks that reached Ginostra village, damaging some houses. The eruption terminated in July 2003. On 15
March 2007, 20:37 GMT occured a enormous paroxysmale eruption of the summit craters. On 30 March three arms of a
lava-stream were seen, which came from a vent in 420 m sea-level. The lava-stream stopped on 2 April 2007.
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Elevation: 926 m
Stromboli is a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily, containing one of the three active volcanoes
in Italy. It is one of the eight Aeolian Islands, a volcanic arc north of Sicily. The island's population is between 400 and 850.
The volcano has erupted many times, and is constantly active with minor eruptions, often visible from many points on the
island and from the surrounding sea, giving rise to the island's nickname "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean". The last major
eruption was on April 13, 2009. Stromboli stands 926 m above sea level, but actually rises over 2,000 m above the sea
floor. There are three active craters at the peak. A significant geological feature of the volcano is the Sciara del Fuoco
("Stream of fire"), a big horseshoe-shaped depression generated in the last 13,000 years by several collapses on the
northwestern side of the cone. Two kilometres to the northeast lies Strombolicchio, the volcanic plug remnant of the
original volcano.
Stromboli has been in almost one continuous eruption for the past 20,000 years. This pattern of eruption has been
maintained, in which explosions occur at the summit craters with mild to moderate eruptions of incandescent volcanic
bombs at intervals ranging from minutes to hours. This characteristic Strombolian eruption, as it is known, is also observed
at other volcanoes worldwide. Eruptions from the summit craters typically result in a few second-lasting mild energetic
bursts emitting ash, incandescent lava fragments and lithic blocks up to a few hundred metres in height. Stromboli's activity
is almost exclusively explosive, but lava flows do occur at times: an effusive eruption in 2002 was its first in 17 years. The
mildly explosive eruptions are also occasionally punctuated by much larger eruptions. The largest eruption of the last
hundred years occurred in 1930, and resulted in the deaths of several people and the destruction of a number of houses
by flying volcanic bombs. Large eruptions occur at intervals of years to decades, and the most recent large eruption began
in 2002, causing the closure of the island to non-residents for several months. The eruption started with a lava flow (29
December 2002) along the "Sciara del Fuoco" flank that rapidly reached the sea. On 30 December 2002, a huge volume of
rocks collapsed from the "Sciara del Fuoco" generating at least two landslides and many tsunami waves. The highest wave
was 10 m high and caused serious damage at the Stromboli village. On 5 April 2003, a strong explosion from the summit
crater ejected rocks that reached Ginostra village, damaging some houses. The eruption terminated in July 2003. On 15
March 2007, 20:37 GMT occured a enormous paroxysmale eruption of the summit craters. On 30 March three arms of a
lava-stream were seen, which came from a vent in 420 m sea-level. The lava-stream stopped on 2 April 2007.
Panoramen
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