Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Violent strombolian and subplinian eruptions at Vesuvius during post-1631 activity

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Bulletin of Volcanology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

On the basis of historical chronicles and field investigations the tephrostratigraphic sequence of post-1631 activity of Vesuvius is reconstructed. It has been established that, during this period, in addition to numerous totally effusive eruptions and/or normal strombolian activity, 16 explosive events produced well-traceable tephra deposits in the area outside the Mount Somma caldera. Ages of tephra beds were established on the basis of stratigraphic relationships with historical lava flows and comparison with chroniclers information. The dispersal and lithological characteristics of tephra deposits combined with description of explosive activity lead to the identification of three styles: (a) periods of violent strombolian activity; (b) violent strombolian eruptions; and (c) subplinian eruptions. Violent strombolian eruptions and periods of discrete activity are characterized by the formation of lapilli falls from eruptive columns only some kilometers high. Subplinian eruptions are defined on the basis of their lapilli fall volumes which is of the order of 107 m3, on eruptive column heights of approximately 10 km, bt higher than 1.5, and mass discharged rate values not lower than 106 kg/s. During the first century of activity after the 1631 eruption, two periods of violent strombolian activity occurred at Vesuvius (1682–1707 and 1707–1719) preceded, and followed, by a series of violent strombolian eruptions (1660, 1682, 1707, 1723, 1730, 1790, 1872). Between 1730 and 1779 a relevant change in the eruptive style of Vesuvius occurred by an increase in the explosivity of the eruptions. During the past two centuries of activity, only a few eruptions reached subplinian magnitude and only five eruptions had a phreatomagmatic phase (1779, 1794, 1822, 1906, 1944). Therefore, the previously accepted model of cyclic activity, in which each cycle is closed by an important explosive eruption with phreatomagmatic characteristics, is unfounded. The tephrostratigraphy of the 1906 eruption proposed in this work differs substantially from some previous reconstructions, on which the basis for the modeling of Vesuvius’ behavior in this time span was formed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amos RC, Self S, Crowe B (1981) Pyroclastic activity at Sunset Crater: evidence for a large magnitude, high dispersal strom-bolian eruption. EOS 62:1085

    Google Scholar 

  • Andronico D, Cioni R, Sulpizio R (1996) General stratigraphy of the past 19.000 yr. IAVCEI-CEV/CMVD Vesuvius Decade Volcano 1996 Workshop Handbook

  • Arnò V, Principe C, Rosi M, Santacroce R, Sbrana A, Sheridan MF (1987) Eruptive history. CNR Quad Ricerca Sci 114(8):53–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Barberi F, Cioni R, Rosi M, Santacroce R, Sbrana A, Vecci R (1989) Magmatic and phreatomagmatic phases in explosive eruptions of Vesuvius as deduced by grain size and component analysis of the pyroclastics deposits. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 38:287–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertagnini A, Landi P Menga G, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (1987) La dinamica della eruzione Vesuviana del 1906 ricostruita sulla base delle cronache contemporanee e dello studio dei depositi piroclastici. Boll GNV 1987:109–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertagnini A, Landi P, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (1991) From magmatic to phreatomagmatic activity through the flashing of a shallow depth hydrothermal system: the 1906 eruption of Vesuvius. Bull Volcanol 53:517–532

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bower SM, Woods AW (1996) On the dispersal of clasts from volcanic crater during small explosive eruptions. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 73:19–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brocchini D (1995) Estrazione dalle cronache storiche dei dati relativi al posizionamento delle fratture e delle bocche eruttive del Vesuvio nel periodo tra il 1631 al 1944. CNR prot 1377579, 14 pp

  • Carta S, Figari R, Sartoris G, Sassi E. Scandone R (1981) A statistical model for Vesuvius and its volcanological implications. Bull Volcanol 44:129–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cigolini C (1998) Thermobarometry of phlogopite-bearing dunitic enclaves from Mount Vesuvius: preliminary estimates. Acad Sci Torino Atti Sci Fis 131:109–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Cigolini C, Riuffini R (1998) Le cumuliti clinopirosseniche associate ai depositi piroclastici Vesuviani (eruzione del 1944). Abstract volume XIV convegno scientifico annuale del GNV, 2–4 March, Catania, p 71

  • Cioni R, Sbrana A, Vecci R (1992) Morphologic features of juvenile pyroclasts from magmatic and phreatomagmatic deposits of Vesuvius. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 51:61–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cioni R, Marianelli P, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (2000) Plinian and subplinian eruptions. In: Sigurdsson H (ed) Encyclopedia of volcanoes. Academic Press, London, 477–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Civetta L, Santacroce R (1992) Steady state magma supply in the last 3400 years of Vesuvius activity. Acta Vulcanol Marinelli 2:147–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole PD, Queiroz G, Wallenstein N, Gaspar JL, Duncan AM, Guest JE (1995) An historic subplinian/phreatomagmatic eruption: the 1630 A.D. eruption of Furnas volcano, Sao Miguel, Azores. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 69:117–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole PD, Guest JE, Queiroz G, Wallestein N, Pacheco JM, Gaspar JL, Ferreira T, Duncan AM (1999) Styles of volcanism and volcanic hazards on Furnas volcano, Sao Miguel, Azores. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 92:39–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cortini M, Scandone R (1982) The feeding system of Vesuvius between 1754 and 1944. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 12:393–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolfi D, Trigila R (1978) The role of water in the 1944 eruption at Vesuvius. Contrib Mineral Petrol 67:297–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fierstein J, Nathenson M (1992) Another look at the calculation of fall tephra volume. Bull Volcanol 54:156–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis P (1996) Volcanoes: a planetary perspective. Clarendon Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fulignati P, Marianelli P, Sbrana A. Guido L (1996) The 1944 eruption: overall description. IAVCEI-CEV/CMVD Vesuvius Decade Volcano 1996 Workshop Handbook

  • Fulignati P, Marianelli P, Sbrana A (1998) New insights on the thermometamorphic-metasomatic magma chamber shell of the 1944 eruption of Vesuvius. Acta Vulcanol 10:47–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Hazlett RW, Buesch D, Anderson JL, Elan R, Scandone R (1991) Geology failure conditions and implications of seismogenic avalanches of the 1944 eruption at Vesuvius, Italy. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 47:249–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houghton BF, Wilson CJN, Pyle DM (2000) Pyroclastic fall deposits. In: Sigurdsson H (ed) Encyclopedia of volcanoes. Academic Press, London, pp 555–570

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston-Lavis HJ (1891) Geological map of Monte Somma and Vesuvius (1.10,000) constructed during the years 1880–1888. Philips and Son, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston-Lavis HJ (1909) The eruption of Vesuvius in April 1906. Scientific Transactions of the Royal Dublin Society S II Vol IX fasc 8

  • Joron JL, Métrien N, Rosi M, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (1987) Chemistry and petrography. CNR Quad Ricerca Sci 114(8): 105–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Hon H (1865) Histoire complète de la grande éruption du Vésuve de 1631, with the topographic map of Vesuvius lavas from 1631 to 1861. Bull Acad R Belgique 2 (20)

  • Marianelli P, Métrien N, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (1995) Mafic magma batches at Vesuvius: a glass inclusion approach to the modalities of feeding stratovolcanoes. Contrib Mineral Petrol 120:159–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marianelli P, Métrich N, Sbrana A (1999) Shallow and deep reservoirs involved in magma supply of the 1944 eruption of Vesuvius. Bull Volcanol 61:48–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mastrolorenzo G, Munno R, Rolandi G (1993) Vesuvius 1906: a case study of paroxysmal eruption and its relation to eruption cycles. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 58:217–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nazzaro A (1998) Il Vesuvio: storia eruttiva e teorie vulcanologiche. Collana “Geofisica dell’ambiente e del territorio”. Liguori. Rome

  • Newhall CG, Self S (1982) The volcanic explosivity index (VEI): an estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism. J Geophys Res 87:1231–1238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pesce A, Rolandi G (1994) Vesuvio 1944 — l’ultima eruzione. Giglio di Scafati, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Principe C, Brocchini D (1995) Fracturation pattern at Vesuvius during the 1631–1944 period. Per Mineral 64:225–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Principe C, Rosi M, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (1987) Explanatory notes to the geological map. CNR Quad Ricerca Sci 114(8):11–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyle DM (1989) The thickness, volume and grainsize of tephra fall deposits. Bull Volcanol 51:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosi M, Santacroce R, Sbrana A (1987) Geological map of Somma-Vesuvius volcanic complex (scale 1:25,000). CNR PF Geodinamica L Salomone, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosi M, Principe C, Vecci R (1993) The 1631 Vesuvius eruption. A reconstruction based on historical and stratigraphical data. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 58:151–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santacroce R, Bertagnini A, Civetta L, Landi P, Sbrana A (1993) Eruptive dynamics and petrogenetic processes in a very shallow magma reservoir: the 1906 eruption of Vesuvius. J Petrol 34:383–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Scandone R, Malone SD (1985) Magma supply, magma discharge and readjustment of the feeding system of Mount St. Helens during 1980. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 23:239–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scandone R, Iannone F, Mastrolorenzo G (1986) Stima dei parametri dinamici dell’eruzione del 1944 del Vesuvio. Boll GNV 2:487–512

    Google Scholar 

  • Self S (1976) The recent volcanology of Terceira, Azores. J Geol Soc Lond 132:645–666

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sieh K, Bursik MI (1986) Most recent eruption of the Mono Craters, eastern central California. J Geophys Res 91:539–571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparks RSJ, Bursik MI, Ablay GJ, Thomas RME, Carey SN (1992) Sedimentation of tephra by volcanic plumes. Part 2. Controls on thickness and grain size variations of tephra fall deposits. Bull Volcanol54:685–695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigurdsson H, Carey S, Cornell W, Pescatore T (1985) The eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Nation Geographr Res 1:332–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorarinsson S, Sigvaldason GE (1971) The Hekla eruption of 1970. Bull Volcanol 36:269–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker GPL (1973) Explosive volcanic eruptions: a new classification scheme. Geol Rundsch 62:431–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson L, Walker GPL (1987) Explosive volcanic eruptions VI. Ejecta dispersal in plinian eruptions: the control of eruption conditions and atmospheric properties. Geophys J R Astr Soc 89:657–679

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Via Santa Maria 53, 56127, Pisa, Italy

    Simone Arrighi & Mauro Rosi

  2. Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse isotopica CNR Pisa (IGGI), Area della Ricerca CNR di Pisa San Cataldo, Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56010, Pisa, Italy

    Claudia Principe

Authors
  1. Simone Arrighi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Claudia Principe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mauro Rosi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claudia Principe.

Additional information

Published online: 9 May 2001

Editorial responsibility: J. Gilbert

Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer LINK server located at http://dx.doi.ore/10.1007/s004450Ì00l30

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arrighi, S., Principe, C. & Rosi, M. Violent strombolian and subplinian eruptions at Vesuvius during post-1631 activity. Bull Volcanol 63, 126–150 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004450100130

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004450100130

Keywords

Search

Navigation