Contact | RSS | EN | DE | EL | ES | FR | IT | RU

Stromboli volcano (Eolian Islands, Italy): (re)new(ed) lava flow

Mon, 25 Aug 2014, 23:22 | IS
View onto the upper part of the lava flow early on the 10th of August, showing the trajectory of the lava from the vent down onto and across the plateau before it flows down the Sciara del Fuoco. Only the vent at the origin and the overflow from the plateau are visible from the 400 m webcams.
View onto the upper part of the lava flow early on the 10th of August, showing the trajectory of the lava from the vent down onto and across the plateau before it flows down the Sciara del Fuoco. Only the vent at the origin and the overflow from the plateau are visible from the 400 m webcams.
Evolution of the lava flow's effusion rate and channels down the upper part of the Sciara del Fuoco over the last 2 days
Evolution of the lava flow's effusion rate and channels down the upper part of the Sciara del Fuoco over the last 2 days
After fluctuating and unstable effusive activity during the last few days, the vent seems to have once again increased its magma effusion rate and triggered a new pathway for the lava to flow down the upper part of the Sciara del Fuoco.
Whilst on the afternoon of the 23rd of August lava was still flowing down from the plateau in much the same location as it had done since opening of the vent on the 7th of August, the overflow of lava from the ca 600 m plateau onto the Sciara del Fuoco had substantially decreased by the early hours of the 24th of August.
As the hours passed by, the old lava flow dried up and started to cool down despite the fact that effusion from the vent at ca. 650 m seemed to continue. By midday of the 24th, the volume of lava issuing from the vent had even increased - as shown by the thermal webcam image which indicated two, instead of one, branches. Video:

Yet no lava was visibly flowing down the upper part of the Sciara del Fuoco. So where was it stored all this time? A photograph taken on the 10th of August from the upper part of the lava flow, as it emerges from the vent and flows down onto the plateau, suggests that the newly emitted lava needed time break through and flow around the older, and partially cooled, lava channels atop the plateau.
This would explain why only in the early hours of the 25th of August lava is again observed to 'fall'down from the plateau - but at a different location towards the east. As the vent continued to issue lava at high rates, this new lava flow grew quickly and firmly replaced the upper Sciara del Fuoco pathway taken by the lava during the previous days.

Previous news

Sun, 24 Aug 2014, 08:49

Stromboli volcano (Eolian Islands, Italy): fluctuating lava flow

Thermal image of the upper Sciara del Fuoco of Stromboli
The lava flow continues to be active, but the effusion rate has been more and more unstable and fluctuates a lot. This results in lava flows taking different (often overlapping) paths on the upper portion of the Sciara del Fuoco. ... Read all
Thu, 21 Aug 2014, 16:26

Stromboli volcano (Eolian Islands, Italy): strongly fluctuating effusion rates at lava flow on the Sciara del Fuoco

Surge in lava supply at Stromboli this morning caused formation of new channels
Lava continues to flow from the fissure vent at the base of the NE crater. Compared to the first week, the effusion rate has become more unstable, causing several surges and intervals of strongly decreasing activity. ... Read all
Show more
Stromboli volcano
stratovolcano 926 m
Eolian Islands, Italy, 38.79°N / 15.21°E
Current status: erupting (4 out of 5) Stromboli volcano eruptions:
Persistant (near-constant) activity since at least 2-3000 years. Most recent effusive (lava flow) eruptions from Dec. 2002-July 2003, March 2007, Aug-Oct 2014. Paroxysm 3 July 2019
Typical eruption style
Small explosive (strombolian) eruptions, typically every 20-30 mins. Intermittently, ca. every 2-20 years, minor effusive eruptions (lava flows); on average 2-5 times per year larger explosions.
Stromboli Volcano Tours
Naples, Eolian Islands, Etna (Italy)
Volcanoes of Italy - the Grand Tour
15-day study & walking tour to Italy's volcanoes from Vesuvius to Etna
15 days (14 nights) - Easy to Moderate
Price 3890 €
3-17 Oct 2025
Sicily and Eolian Islands (Italy)
From Stromboli to Etna
9-day walking & study tour to Stromboli, Lipari, Vulcano and Etna with our expert volcanologist
9 days / 8 nights - Easy to Moderate
Price 2950 €
18-26 May 2024
12-20 Oct 2024
3-11 May 2025
Lava flow and explosions in Jan 2013