GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Dramatic New Eruption On Mount Etna In Italy - New Strombolian Activity At Bocca Nuova!

February 19, 2013 - SICILY, ITALY -  Italy's Mount Etna sent lava and gas shooting toward the stars early this morning (Feb. 19), the first big eruption for the volcano in 2013. 

The famous Sicilian volcano burst to life overnight, sending a fountain of fire into the air. The dramatic scene was captured in a video by Klaus Dorschfeldt, a videographer and webmaster at Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.

Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, had emitted signs of an imminent paroxysm in recent weeks. 

On Jan. 22, lava and strong flashes in the volcano's New Southeast Crater were clearly visible from the Sicilian foothills; these often herald a new paroxysm: short, violent eruptive bursts. 

Dorschfeldt said he knew Mount Etna's recent signals could precede new activity. "[I've] followed the activity of Etna for many years, and with time you learn to know it as if it were your friend," he said in an email interview. 

"Following it constantly [you] learn to be a keen observer and a minor change can lead to something important," he told OurAmazingPlanet. 

The tallest volcano in Europe, Mount Etna is almost constantly spewing gas or lava. Its Bocca Nuova crater also erupted earlier this year, from Jan. 10 to Jan. 20. In 2011, Etna's violent bursts were spotted from space. -OAP.

WATCH: Dramatic new eruption on Mount Etna.

What started last night in fact became in a true paroxysm this time, with tall lava fountains and lava flows from the New SE crater. 

Paroxysm of Etna on the webcam.

A lava flow descended into Valle del Bove and reached about 2600 m elevation on the slope north of Sierra Giannicola Picola. The eruption ended rapidly by about 06h30. 

This marks the first "true" paroxysm this year, very similar to the spectacular ones during 2011-12, but comparably weaker than these.

The strombolian activity progressively increased and merged into lava fountains at around 04h40 local time. 

The characteristic tall tremor peak.

Tremor is rising and probably, this means that some strombolian activity is present in either New SE crater or Bocca Nuova, but visibility is poor due to bad weather. - Volcano Discovery.

Orginal post @ http://thecelestialconvergence.blogspot.hk/2013/02/global-volcanism-dramatic-new-eruption.html