Vulcano - Vulcano Island (Aeolian Islands, Italy)
N 38° 24.237 E 014° 57.915
33S E 496965 N 4250636
Visit one from the most beautiful places in Southern Mediterranean, one from Aeolian Islands, called "Vulcano" (named after the Roman god of Fire - Vulcanus).
Waymark Code: WM6E00
Location: Sicilia, Italy
Date Posted: 05/19/2009
Views: 15
Although Vulcano is dangerously dormant for over 100 years now, it must have been highly active in Ancient times. Vulcano is mostly known for its hot springs and famous mud pools on the beach, allegedly having beneficent effects on your health. The other main attraction on the island is the large crater of La Fossa - the type example of a volcanic crater. Hot, sulphur steam belching fumaroles align the rim of its crater and are equally impressive.
Geologically, Vulcano is a complex of overlapping edifices, including two calderas, that have formed during the past ±150 000 years. The northern tip of the island is lava platform that forms a low, roughly circular peninsula called Vulcanello that was formed as an island beginning in 183 B.C. and later was connected to Vulcano in about 1550 A.D. It is one of Italy's most active volcanoes, and one with a high hazard potential. During the historical period, the Fossa cone and Vulcanello have been the site of frequent and vigorous eruptions, the most recent of which occurred in 1888-1890 at the Fossa. More recently, the Gran Cratere of the Fossa cone has been the site of volcanic unrest (most notably, an increase of the fumarolic activity) which began around 1985 and ended in 1995 without culminating in an eruption. This episode of unrest has triggered increased public awareness about the volcanic risk at Vulcano, and intense studies of the volcano and its behavior. Geological studies have shown that most eruptions of the Fossa cone have been violently explosive and produced pyroclastic flows. The close proximity of the village of Vulcano Porto therefore warrants timely warning to all people in the area in case of renewed eruptive activity.
On the coordinates you are on the summit of Fossa crater which offers a magnificent vistas over vulcano, fumarole fields and whole island. Far on the sea horizon, you can also see Stromboli island with another famous vulcano.
You can also visit the large fumarole field on the northern edge of the Fossa crater. Fumaroles are vents from which volcanic gas escapes into the open atmosphere. Fumaroles may occur along tiny cracks or long fissures, in chaotic clusters or fields, and on the surfaces of lava flows and thick deposits of pyroclastic flows. They may persist for decades or centuries if they are above a persistent heat source or disappear within weeks to months if they occur atop a fresh volcanic deposit that quickly cools. Fumaroles on La Fossa crater emite mixture of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. Sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide react together creating bright yellow layers of elementar sulphur around the fumarole vents. These fumaroles are also called solfatares (the name is derived from the Italian solfo, sulfur).