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ETNA VOLCANO PHOTOS

- SEC paroxysms Nr. 6-10 in July 2001 -


17 June 2001: paroxysm nr. 6

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Left: Small dust devils on the slopes of NE crater.
Right: Hours before the onset of the paroxysm, a lava flow is ouzing out of the small cone ("La spagnola", or "Levantino", on the left). For some volcanologists just 'normal activity'...

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Finally, mild spattering at the Levantino starts and heralds the onset of more vigorous activity.

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As the activity slowly increases, the fissure cutting through the SE cone and the Levantino becomes active over a length of 50-100m with lava fountains several 10s of m high. 

The spattering of the small cone increases, eventually producing lava fountains up to 150 m high.

 

Degassing lavaflows, steam from the lava fountain and from Bocca Nuova, as well as ash from the strombolian activity at the summit crater make the observation difficult.

After the eruption of SEC is over, NEC emits heavy ash and steam clouds,- an reaction that has often been observed after paroxysms of SEC.

 


19 June: paroxysm nr. 7

At sunset: waiting for the next paroxysm and the clouds to dissappear...

The clouds finally disappear towards 21:30, after sunset. From our viewpoint near the Montagnola, it becomes evident that Levantino is already spattering. We hurry up to the Torre del Filosofo, where a great show of strong strombolian activity from the summit crater of the SEC awaits us.

 

Some bombs reach 500-700m and land even on the W flank of Bocca Nuova, and cover Sudestino (the small cone in the foreground).

Levantino spattering behind the steep flank of the SEC cone.

The snow-covered flank of Bocca Nuova is illuminated by the glow of the lava