After the powerful paroxysm at South East Crater on 10 May 2008, a spectacular fissure eruption started on 13 May, opening a 1000 m long, E-W trending fissure starting at the base of the SE crater, and extending into the upper flanks of Valle del Bove.
The activity started with impressive ground deformation where the advancing dike openend the ground, hurling out blocks of older material, some more than tens of meters across. At the fissure, curtains of fire fountains formed from at least 15 vents and produced a fluid lava flow that quickly descended into Valle del Bove. After about one day, the eruption waned quickly to stabilize into mild strombolian activity from a few vents on the upper part of the fissure between 2800 and 2900m.a.s.l. This activity prevailed when our team visited the eruption sites between 15 and 24 May, which is documented in the following photos.
