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Mount Etna Eruption, July 2001 |
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Click on images for blow-up.
Acknowledgements: Norman Kuring (GSFC/SeaWiFS) and NOAA Operational Significant Event Imagery Server OSEI;
and T. Moore, S. Naquin, T. Solangi, and J. Moore (in Sicily).
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| DMSP/IR 22 July, 2001 | AVHRR 22 July, 2001 |
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| AVHRR July 23, 2001 |
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| SeaWiFS 22 July, 2001 | COAMPS Simulation of Plume, 22 July, 2001 |
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| SeaWiFS July 24, 2001. Note the dust over, and west of, Sicily. A comparison of NAAPS, DREAM, TOMS and SeaWiFS shows shows the dust originating in Algeria and Western Sahara and blowing ENE around a high, then out over the entire western Mediterranean. | COAMPS Simulation of Plume, 24 July, 2001 |
NOGAPS shows moderate WSW winds at 700 mb (approximate height of volcanic emission; upper-right panel of plots) on the 20th and 21nd, then NW on the 22nd, with more northerly winds on the 24th. Winds become more westerly over the next few days.
Some notes and images (below) from T. Moore, Sicily:
" ... The view from my house was just as striking, however my digital camera is not light sensitive enough for shots taken at that distance. I agree that pictures of the lava flow are quite interesting. Most folks never have an opportunity to see a volcanic eruption in action. I must say, it's quite impressive!"
"As I am sure you know, on Wednesday, 18 July, a number of new vents opened on the southern flank of Mt. Etna. The lowest vent at an altitude of 2,100 meters has projected a huge lava flow towards the town of Nicolosi. The lava front is approximately 2 miles from my home. We are prepared to evacuate, but we are still carrying on with life as usual. Water bombing from helicopters and planes was attempted last week to try and slow the lava advance and keep wild fires to a minimum. According to experts, the current flank eruption might continue for weeks or even months to come. Etna has accumulated an enormous amount of magma since it began re-inflating after the 1991-1993 flank eruption, so no one expects this new one to end soon. Seismic activity is also continuing. The experts say that it cannot be excluded that still more eruptive fractures will open, maybe even at lower elevation, and this would render the situation far more serious. Yet it is already a HUGE flank eruption, with up to 10 million cubic meters of lava emitted so far."
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| Photo taken at approximately 2230 on 7/23 by S. Naquin at a distance of ~30ft. At this time, the lava front was roughly 2 1/2 mi from Nicolosi. | Photo taken at approximately 1000 on 7/21 by J. Moore, at a distance of ~35ft. At this time, the lava front was roughly 3 mi from Nicolosi. |
Movie clip taken at approx 2230 on 7/23 by S. Naquin at a distance of ~30ft.
Movie clip taken at approx 2200 on 7/24 by T. Solangi at a distance of ~30ft. The lava front was a little more than 2 mi out from Nicolosi.
More links to Mt. Etna information can be found in J. Prospero's daily aerosol report.
Last updated July 30, 2001
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