Etna – Europe’s most active volcano with a sometimes extremely threatening appearance – is currently making a name for itself with unusually peaceful scenes: the more than 3,300 meter high mountain on the Italian Mediterranean island of Sicily blows out white curls of smoke, which then rise far up into the sky. The so-called volcanic vortex rings come from a newly formed crater on the southeast crater, which has a circular opening. After small explosions of gas bubbles in a narrow throat above a magma chamber, this opening forms the rings.
Volcanic vortex rings emerge from a new crater on the north side of the southeast crater of Etna volcano, Sicily.
(Photo: Giuseppe Di Stefano/dpa)
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.
German volcanologist Boris Behncke 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 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.
The volcanic vortex rings attract tourists.
(Photo: Giuseppe Di Stefano/dpa)
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.