Etna eruption May 2008: photos

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.

- All - Next page

Jump to page: 1 2 3 All || Back to Gallery Index

The Peloritan Mountains and the Strait of Messina at sunrise, seen from Etna. (1181 Hits)	View of the SE crater and the glow from the lava flow seen from Piano del Vescovo (16 May 08) (1154 Hits)	The active vent on the May 13, 2008, fissure and the still active lava flows (May 16). (1596 Hits)	The lava flows into Valle del Bove (May 16, 2008) (1542 Hits)
Etna_g4024.jpg (1155 Hits)	Tobias observing the activity. (1322 Hits)	ash emission and mild spattering from two vents on the eruptive fissure of the May 13 eruption (23 M... (1321 Hits)	Fountain-like strombolian eruption from the active vent on the evening of May 23 2008. (1187 Hits)
Etna_g4250.jpg (1263 Hits)	Spattering from the active vent (May 23, 2008) (1318 Hits)	strombolian eruption from the active vent on the May 13 fissure. Lights of Giarre, Taormina and the ... (1389 Hits)	strombolian eruption from the vent and lights of Giarre, Tsaormina and Calabria at night. (1603 Hits)
A powerful explosion from the vent surprises us. (2002 Hits)	Powerful strombolian eruption from the active vent (May 23, 2008). (1778 Hits)	Etna_g4106.jpg (1240 Hits)	Etna_g4323.jpg (1239 Hits)