Stromboli
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. This name is a
corruption of the Ancient Greek name Strongule which was given to it
because of its round swelling form. 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.
Mt Stromboli has been in almost one continuous eruption for the past 2000 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 meters 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. (Wikipedia)
After the unusual eruptive events from December 2002 until July 2003
Stromboli has returned to its «normal» activity of intermittent eruptions from
the summit craters. Since these events is the access to the summit (Pizzo)
strictly forbidden.
click on photos to enlarge
October 2003
HOME
Sicily, containing one of the three active volcanoes in Italy. It is one of the
eight Aeolian Islands, a volcanic arc north of Sicily. This name is a
corruption of the Ancient Greek name Strongule which was given to it
because of its round swelling form. 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.
Mt Stromboli has been in almost one continuous eruption for the past 2000 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 meters 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. (Wikipedia)
After the unusual eruptive events from December 2002 until July 2003
Stromboli has returned to its «normal» activity of intermittent eruptions from
the summit craters. Since these events is the access to the summit (Pizzo)
strictly forbidden.
click on photos to enlarge
October 2003
HOME