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. In August 2014 a new effusive eruption startet from a 650 m
vent at the base of the summit crater, causing a massive surge of lava running down the Sciara. Within less than 20 minutes, it
reached the sea, for the first time since 2007. at the end of october 2014 the effusive eruption eruption finished.
Stromboli
Location: 38.79° N, 15.21° E
Elavation: 926 m
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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. In August 2014 a new effusive eruption startet from a 650 m
vent at the base of the summit crater, causing a massive surge of lava running down the Sciara. Within less than 20 minutes, it
reached the sea, for the first time since 2007. at the end of october 2014 the effusive eruption eruption finished.
Stromboli
Location: 38.79° N, 15.21° E
Elavation: 926 m
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