In early January 2011, Etna started a series of spectacular eruptions from the pit crater at the eastern foot of the SE crater with eruptions every 5-about 50 days. Each of these so-called paroxysms consisted of increasing strombolian explosions culminating in a brief phase of tall lava fountains lasting between 30 minutes and a few hours, generating tall ash plumes and producing lava flows into the Valle del Bove. As of early 2012, the series is still continuing and there have been a total of 19 paroxysms until now (2 Feb). As a result of the eruptions, the former pit crater has dramatically increased insize and become a new member of the summit craters. It is now only little lower than the SE crater itself, and commonly called the 
