Mt. VesuviusMt. Vesuvius

Alicia DiMarcoAlicia DiMarco

Kelly KeishKelly Keish

Rebecca RogersRebecca Rogers

ActivityActivity

Where is it?Where is it?

Where…Where…

ItalyItaly– Bay of NaplesBay of Naples

Southwest of RomeSouthwest of Rome PompeiiPompeii HerculaneumHerculaneum

40.821 degrees North, 14.426 degrees East40.821 degrees North, 14.426 degrees East

Known Eruptions of VesuviusKnown Eruptions of Vesuvius

3750 BC3750 BC79 AD 79 AD 472 AD 472 AD 512 AD512 AD1631 AD1631 AD

Vesuvius has been dormant since 1944, but Vesuvius has been dormant since 1944, but is believed to be a cyclical volcano where is believed to be a cyclical volcano where each centuries long cycle ends in a large each centuries long cycle ends in a large eruption like in 79 AD.eruption like in 79 AD.

Statistics of VesuviusStatistics of Vesuvius

1281 meters at the summit1281 meters at the summit

VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index)VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index)– Rating of 6 on a scale from 0-8Rating of 6 on a scale from 0-8

This means it is 1,000,000 more explosive than a This means it is 1,000,000 more explosive than a volcano with a rating of 0volcano with a rating of 0

Geology of VesuviusGeology of Vesuvius

Composite Volcano Composite Volcano – Eruption typesEruption types

ash and cindersash and cinders LavaLava

Tephrite rockTephrite rock– Basaltic rocksBasaltic rocks

calcic plagioclase, augite, and nepheline or leucite calcic plagioclase, augite, and nepheline or leucite mineralsminerals

Geology of Vesuvius…Geology of Vesuvius…

How it formedHow it formed– Plate tectonicsPlate tectonics

Plates grind against each Plates grind against each otherother

– Earthquake or VolcanoEarthquake or Volcano

Volcano: one plate is Volcano: one plate is thrust deep into the thrust deep into the Earth, melted into Earth, melted into magma and rises to form magma and rises to form a volcanoa volcano

– Magma less dense Magma less dense than solid rockthan solid rock

The African plate is The African plate is being pushed under being pushed under the Eurasian plate.the Eurasian plate.

August 24, 79 A.D.August 24, 79 A.D. Ash and Cinders EruptionAsh and Cinders Eruption Began as steam discharges in the morningBegan as steam discharges in the morning Early afternoon: fine ash and pumice fragments formed an “eruptive Early afternoon: fine ash and pumice fragments formed an “eruptive

cloud”cloud”– Debris begins to fall onto Pompeii and many residents evacuated the city Debris begins to fall onto Pompeii and many residents evacuated the city

(pumice fragments as big as 2”)(pumice fragments as big as 2”)– Accumulated at the rate of 5-6” per hourAccumulated at the rate of 5-6” per hour

Many people were still alive at this pointMany people were still alive at this point

AUGUST 25 am…AUGUST 25 am…– 2000 people who had survived the pumice showers were killed by ash-2000 people who had survived the pumice showers were killed by ash-

laden gasesladen gases Suffocation as cause of death…bodies became cemented by ash and rainSuffocation as cause of death…bodies became cemented by ash and rain

16,000 people ultimately died in Herculaneum and Pompeii16,000 people ultimately died in Herculaneum and Pompeii

Pliny the YoungerPliny the Younger

Roman Soldier who witnessed the eruption and tried to Roman Soldier who witnessed the eruption and tried to help those escaping by seahelp those escaping by sea

An example from his writingsAn example from his writings

– "Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn.  All "Now the day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn.  All around us buildings are shaken.  We are in the open, but it is only a around us buildings are shaken.  We are in the open, but it is only a small area and we are afraid, nay certain, that there will be a small area and we are afraid, nay certain, that there will be a collapse.  We decided to leave the town finally; a dazed crowd collapse.  We decided to leave the town finally; a dazed crowd follows us, preferring our plan to their own (this is what passes for follows us, preferring our plan to their own (this is what passes for wisdom in a panic).  Their numbers are so large that they slow our wisdom in a panic).  Their numbers are so large that they slow our departure, and then sweep us along.  We stopped once we had left departure, and then sweep us along.  We stopped once we had left the buildings behind us.  Many strange things happened to us the buildings behind us.  Many strange things happened to us there, and we had much to fear." (Radice, B., 1968, The Letters of there, and we had much to fear." (Radice, B., 1968, The Letters of Younger Pliny: New York, Penguin. ) Younger Pliny: New York, Penguin. )

Pyroclastic FlowsPyroclastic Flows

““A ground-hugging avalanche of hot ash, pumice, A ground-hugging avalanche of hot ash, pumice, rock fragments, and volcanic gas that rushes rock fragments, and volcanic gas that rushes down the side of a volcano as fast as 100 km/hour down the side of a volcano as fast as 100 km/hour or more. The temperature within a pyroclastic flow or more. The temperature within a pyroclastic flow may be greater than 500° C, sufficient to burn and may be greater than 500° C, sufficient to burn and carbonize wood. Once deposited, the ash, pumice, carbonize wood. Once deposited, the ash, pumice, and rock fragments may deform (flatten) and weld and rock fragments may deform (flatten) and weld together because of the intense heat and the together because of the intense heat and the weight of the overlying material.” (US Geological weight of the overlying material.” (US Geological Survey) Survey)

PompeiiPompeii Located about 6 miles from Located about 6 miles from

VesuviusVesuvius Rediscovered in 1748Rediscovered in 1748 2000 of the 20,000 inhabitants 2000 of the 20,000 inhabitants

were killedwere killed Many actually died from the gas Many actually died from the gas

expelled from the Volcano expelled from the Volcano rather than the ash and cinders rather than the ash and cinders themselvesthemselves

Fossils (molds and casts)Fossils (molds and casts)– When the people were buried in When the people were buried in

3m of ash, groundwater 3m of ash, groundwater dissolved their bodies over the dissolved their bodies over the next seventeen centuries to next seventeen centuries to result in these fossils which result in these fossils which maintained the shape of their maintained the shape of their bodies, but no internal qualitiesbodies, but no internal qualities

HerculaneumHerculaneum

Located at the foot of Mt. VesuviusLocated at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius Rediscovered in the 18Rediscovered in the 18thth century century Buried by 50-60 feet of pyroclastic materialBuried by 50-60 feet of pyroclastic material 4 minutes for it to reach and bury 4 minutes for it to reach and bury

HerculaneumHerculaneum– 60 FEET OF MUD IN TOTAL THAT ACTED 60 FEET OF MUD IN TOTAL THAT ACTED

LIKE CONCRETELIKE CONCRETE

Future EruptionsFuture Eruptions

Predictions can be made by:Predictions can be made by:– Studying the eruptive historyStudying the eruptive history– Monitoring underlying seismic activityMonitoring underlying seismic activity

Frequency and distribution of underlying earthquakesFrequency and distribution of underlying earthquakes

Though Vesuvius has Though Vesuvius has been dormant for 60 been dormant for 60 years, it is still an years, it is still an active volcano.active volcano.

SourcesSources simplethinking.com/italy/ pompeii.shtml simplethinking.com/italy/ pompeii.shtml http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/hort/sullivan/21monitor/07/img002.JPGhttp://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/hort/sullivan/21monitor/07/img002.JPG (http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/pompeii/pmpKind.html)(http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/pompeii/pmpKind.html) http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/pompeii/pmpErup.htmlhttp://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/pompeii/pmpErup.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vesuvius/deadliest2.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vesuvius/deadliest2.html http://www.geocities.com/vesuvius79ad/http://www.geocities.com/vesuvius79ad/ US Geological SurveyUS Geological Survey http://www.roman-empire.net/articles/article-011.htmlhttp://www.roman-empire.net/articles/article-011.html Earth ScienceEarth Science 10 10thth Edition (Tarbuck & Lutgens)- our text! Edition (Tarbuck & Lutgens)- our text! http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/

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