Natural phenomenon
Etna with a difference: volcano blows out curls of smoke
Vortex rings emerge from Sicily’s Etna volcano. photo
© Giuseppe Di Stefano/AP/dpa
Mount Etna in Sicily usually attracts attention with its powerful eruptions. But now Europe’s most active volcano is suddenly looking completely different.
The so-called volcanic vortex rings come from a newly formed crater on the southeast crater. They are caused by small explosions of gas bubbles in a narrow throat above a magma chamber.
Etna (in Italian: Etna) was given the name “Lady of the Rings” by locals. It is by no means the first time that such figures have been seen: such rings were first mentioned 300 years ago, in 1724. However, the phenomenon occurs rather rarely – and when it does, then not with such frequency. Thousands of rings have been spotted since the new mouth opened.
Vortex rings are not a new phenomenon
The term volcanic vortex rings was coined by the English physicist William Thomson (1824-1907). Such rings have also been spotted on another well-known Italian volcano, Stromboli on the island of the same name in the Mediterranean. According to experts, they are completely harmless and show no signs of an impending eruption. Mount Etna is Europe’s largest active volcano. The mountain is about 3350 meters high. However, the exact height changes again and again due to eruptions and cinder cones.
German volcanologist Boris Behncke – active on social networks as Etnaboris – wrote: “No volcano on earth produces as many steam rings as Etna. Now it seems to be breaking all records.” The small chasm opened on Tuesday. Since then, the mountain has produced thousands of rings, said the expert from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Catania. On
The smoke signals over Etna also attracted many locals and tourists near the mountain. Despite temperatures around 25 degrees, it is still early season in Sicily. In the past centuries there have been repeated spectacular eruptions on Etna. According to historical records, more than 20,000 people died there in 1669, in what is believed to be the worst catastrophe. Around a dozen towns were destroyed at that time.