Mount Etna

By: SP

Eruptions
Mount Etna has had many eruptions. One of Mount Etnas largest eruptions happened in 1669 and destroyed a town called Nicololsi. Mount Etna can create two different types of volcanic eruptions, which are explosive and quiet. Both of these types of eruptions take place frequently from its three summit craters. These craters are called the central crater, the northeast crater, and the southeast crater. Mount Etnas side vents are located in the lower section of the mountain and they erupt less frequently or explosively than the three summit vents. Although they explode less frequently they have higher overall eruption rates. Sometimes, both types of eruptions happen simultaneously.

Location
Mount Etna is located in north-eastern Sicily, Italy. It is associated with the subduction of the African plate under the Eurasian plate. Scientist have believed there are a number of theories that explain Mount Etnas location and eruptive history, including rifting processes, a hot spot, and intersection of structural breaks in the crust. Scientist still are debating which of the processes ts their data. Mount Etna is the largest volcano in Europe.

About Mount Etna

Mount Etna is a stratovolcano located in Sicily, Italy The eruptions have been observed for approximately 3,500 years Mount Etna has been growing for about 500,000 years and it has had an increased series of eruptions since 2001 Mount Etna and its surrounding lava ows cover an area of 600 square miles Mount Etna has a base diameter of more than 22 miles (35 km) which is the same distance as 374 football elds Mount Etna has an altitude of 10,990 feet (3,350m) Smoke and ash shoots thousands of feet higher than the volcano itself when it erupts Mount Etna erupted for the thirteenth time this year on Saturday, April 27 Astronaut Chris Hadeld saw ash from one of Mount Etnas eruption while he was in space

Benets of Volcanoes
Materials in lava and ash can be blown thousands of square kilometers across the land, which increases soil fertility for forests and agriculture Groundwater can be heated by magma that did not erupt from the volcano and this creates geothermal heat and energy in buildings without creating any pollution Volcanoes are major tourist attractions Volcanos build new land which creates a new living environment for people to survive on

Questions
Does Mount Etna create lahars?
An eruption in 1775 produced large lahars when hot material melted snow and ice on the summit, and an extremely violent eruption in 1852 produced more than 2 billion cubic feet of lava and covered more than three square miles of the volcano's anks in lava ows.

Do many people get injured from the eruption?

Over a thousand years, there have only been 77 deaths.

Have any of Mount Etnas eruptions beneted Italian citizens?

When the lava has cooled from an eruption, it makes the soil rich in nutrients. This soil is benecial for local farmers because it helps increase food production, which is good for the local economy. Also, tourists come to view the volcano and this improves their economy.

Does mount etna have any cinder cones?

Its slopes are marked with many cinder cones.

Cause and Effect

Event Snow on the top of the Peek Cause Lava mixes with snow when volcano erupts Magma Chamber is full Outcome Lahars

Mount Etna Erupts

Lava cools and gives soil nutrients