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Mount Vesuvius

Vesuvius

Stratovolcano · Italy · 1281m

Mount Vesuvius behind city of Naples. The modern cone of Vesuvius is flanked on the left by Monte Somma, the rim of a caldera that formed about 17,000 years ago. Eight major explosive eruptions have occurred since, including the 79 CE eruption that destroyed Pompeii and other towns. A period of frequent, long-duration eruptions began in 1631 and the latest eruption of Vesuvius was in 1944.
Mount Vesuvius behind city of Naples. The modern cone of Vesuvius is flanked on the left by Monte Somma, the rim of a caldera that formed about 17,000 years ago. Eight major explosive eruptions have occurred since, including the 79 CE eruption that destroyed Pompeii and other towns. A period of frequent, long-duration eruptions began in 1631 and the latest eruption of Vesuvius was in 1944. · Photo: Photo by Dan Dzurisin, 1983 (U.S. Geological Survey). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Italy
Region
European Volcanic Regions / Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces
Elevation
1281m
Coordinates
40.821, 14.426
Last eruption
1944
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Phono-tephrite / Tephri-phonolite
Geological summary

One of the world's most noted volcanoes, Vesuvius (Vesuvio) forms a dramatic backdrop to the Bay of Naples. The active cone was constructed within a large caldera of the older Monte Somma edifice, thought to have formed incrementally beginning about 17,000 years ago. The Monte Somma caldera wall has channeled lava flows and pyroclastic flows primarily to the south and west. Eight major explosive eruptions have taken place in the last 17,000 years, often accompanied by large pyroclastic flows and surges, such as during the 79 CE Pompeii eruption. Intermittent eruptions since 79 CE were followed by a period of frequent long-term explosive and effusive eruptions between 1631 and 1944. The large 1631 eruption produced pyroclastic flows that reached as far as the coast and caused great destruction. Many towns are located on the flanks, and several million people live within areas that could be affected by eruptions.

From Wikipedia

Mount Vesuvius is a somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about 9 km (5.6 mi) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuvius consists of a large cone partially encircled by the steep rim of a summit caldera, resulting from the collapse of an earlier, much higher structure.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
6940 BCE~6645 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 52513 BCE~2218 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 51628 BCE~1333 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 41038 BCE~743 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4743 BCE~448 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3448 BCE~153 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3153 BCE~142 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 5142~438 · 5 eruptions · max VEI 4438~733 · 5 eruptions · max VEI 5733~1028 · 7 eruptions · max VEI 41028~1323 · 6 eruptions · max VEI 31323~1618 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 21618~1913 · 27 eruptions · max VEI 56940 BCE4874 BCE2513 BCE448 BCE1618

Detailed timeline

  1. 1913VEI 3Observed
    1913-07-05 – 1944-04-04
    Summit and upper flanks
  2. 1875VEI 4Observed
    1875-12-18 – 1906-04-22
    Summit and upper flanks
  3. 1874VEI 1Geological estimate
    1874-01 – Ongoing
  4. 1870VEI 3Observed
    1870-12 – 1872-04-30
    Summit and upper NW and south flanks
  5. 1864VEI 2Observed
    1864-02-10 – 1868-11-26
    Summit and upper SE flank
  6. 1855VEI 3Observed
    1855-12-19 – 1861-12-31
    Summit and SW flank (300-225 m)
  7. 1854VEI 3Observed
    1854-12-14 – 1855-05-27
    Summit and upper N flank
  8. 1841VEI 2Observed
    1841-09-20 – 1850-02-16
    Summit, upper N and E flanks
  9. 1835VEI 3Observed
    1835-01 – 1839-01-03
    Summit, upper east and west flanks
  10. 1824VEI 3Observed
    1824-07-02 – 1834-09-02
    Summit, upper E and S flanks
  11. 1796VEI 3Observed
    1796-01 – 1822-11-16
    Summit and upper flanks
  12. 1783VEI 3Observed
    1783-08-18 – 1794-07-05
    Summit and SW flank (550-300 m)
  13. 1770VEI 3Observed
    1770-02-15 – 1779-10-04
    Summit, N, NE, SE and E flanks
  14. 1764VEI 3Observed
    1764 – 1767-10-27
    Summit, upper SW, SE, and NNW flanks
  15. 1744VEI 3Observed
    1744-11 – 1761-01-06
    Summit, upper SE, E and lower S flanks
  16. 1742VEI 1Observed
    1742 – 1743
  17. 1732VEI 3Observed
    1732-12-25 – 1737-06-04
    Summit and SW flank
  18. 1724VEI 3Observed
    1724-09-04 – 1730-04-01
  19. 1708VEI 3Observed
    1708-08-14 – 1723-07-08
    Summit, upper east and south flanks
  20. 1701VEI 3Observed
    1701-07-01 – 1707-08-22
    Summit and SW flank
  21. 1697VEI 3Observed
    1697-09-15 – 1698-07
  22. 1696VEI 2Observed
    1696-07-31 – 1696-08-14
  23. 1685VEI 3Observed
    1685-10-03 – 1694-04-29
  24. 1682VEI 3Observed
    1682-08-12 – 1682-08-22
  25. 1654VEI 3Observed
    1654-02-25 – 1680-03-28
  26. 1637VEI 2Observed
    1637-07-01 – 1652-12
  27. 1631VEI 5Observed
    1631-12-16 – 1632-01-31
    Summit, SW and S flanks
  28. 1570VEI 1Observed
    1570 – 1572
  29. 1500VEI 2Observed
    1500 – Ongoing
  30. 1347VEI 2Geological estimate
    1347 – Ongoing
  31. 1270VEI 2Geological estimate
    1270 – Ongoing
  32. 1150VEI 3Observed
    1150 – Ongoing
  33. 1139VEI 3Observed
    1139-06-01 – 1139-06-09
  34. 1073 (±5 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    1073 – Ongoing
  35. 1049VEI 1Geological estimate
    1049 – Ongoing
  36. 1037VEI 3Observed
    1037-01-27 – Ongoing
    Summit and south flank (I Monticelli?)
  37. 1006VEI 3Observed
    1006-12-31 – Ongoing
  38. 999VEI 3Observed
    999 – Ongoing
    Summit and south flank (Fossamonaca)
  39. 991VEI 3Observed
    991 – Ongoing
  40. 968VEI 4Observed
    968-12-01 – Ongoing
  41. 900 (±40 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    900 – Ongoing
    South and west (Tironi) flanks
  42. 860 (±50 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    860 – Ongoing
    South flank
  43. 787VEI 3Observed
    787-10-15 – 788-01-15
    Summit and south flank
  44. 685VEI 4Observed
    685-02 – 685-03
  45. 536VEI ?Observed
    536 – Ongoing
  46. 512VEI 4Observed
    512-07-08 – Ongoing
  47. 505VEI 2Geological estimate
    505-11-09 – Ongoing
  48. 472VEI 5Observed
    472-11-05 – 472-11-06
  49. 379VEI 2Observed
    379 – 395
  50. 303VEI 2Geological estimate
    303 – Ongoing
  51. 222VEI 2Observed
    222 – 235
  52. 203VEI 4Observed
    203 – Ongoing
  53. 172VEI 3Observed
    172 – Ongoing
  54. 79VEI 5Observed
    79-10-24 – 79-10-28
  55. 217 BCEVEI 3Observed
    BCE 217 – BCE 216
  56. 600 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 600 – Ongoing
  57. 880 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 880 – Ongoing
  58. 1430 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 1430 – Ongoing
  59. 1550 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 1550 – Ongoing
  60. 2420 BCE (±40 yrs)VEI 5Geological estimate
    BCE 2420 – Ongoing
  61. 6940 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI 5Geological estimate
    BCE 6940 – Ongoing

External links

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