Is Italy’s SUPERVOLCANO about to blow? Experts warn that Campi Flegrei is at a ‘critical stage’ in the build up to a devastating eruption

Is Italy’s SUPERVOLCANO about to blow? Experts warn that Campi Flegrei is at a ‘critical stage’ in the build up to a devastating eruption

  • Campi Flegrei is a supervolcano located outside the western suburbs of Naples
  • Its last devastating eruption was in 1538, following a century of unrest
  • The volcano has been restless again since 1950, with regular earthquakes
  • There is now a build up in energy in the crust similar to the 1538 eruption
  • If it does erupt, experts believe it would affect 360,000 people living across the caldera and Naples’ population of nearly one million

 

While the Campi Flegrei volcano hasn’t erupted since 1538, experts have warned that it could be building up to another devastating eruption.

By studying patterns of unrest over the last 500 years, the researchers have predicted that we are reaching a ‘critical stage’ where further unrest will lead to an eruption.

They hope their findings will urge local authorities to prepare for an eruption, which they say would affect the 360,000 people living across the caldera and Naples’ population of nearly one million.

While the Campi Flegrei volcano hasn't erupted since 1538, experts have warned that it could be building up to another devastating eruption

While the Campi Flegrei volcano hasn’t erupted since 1538, experts have warned that it could be building up to another devastating eruption

THE ‘CRITICAL STAGE’

Unrest since the 1950s has been causing a build-up of energy in the crust and making the volcano more vulnerable to eruption.

Until now, scientists had thought that the energy needed to stretch the crust was lost after each period of unrest.

The episodes of unrest are caused by the movement of magma around three kilometres below the volcano.

An eruption becomes more likely when the ground has been stretched to its breaking point.

This is because the molten rock can escape to the surface when the ground splits apart.

But it is difficult to pinpoint when an eruption will occur, because even if the ground breaks, it is possible for the magma to stall before reaching the surface.

If the volcano was to erupt, it could cause havoc for those trying to fly in the area.

Dr Christopher Kilburn, who led the study, told MailOnline: ‘An eruption might disrupt air traffic, if only for precautionary measures and the immediate effect would be in Campi Flegrei and Naples.’

Experts from UCL and the Vesuvius Observatory in Naples have been studying the patterns of unrest since Campi Flegrei’s last eruption 500 years ago.

The volcano has been restless for 67 years, with two-year periods of unrest in the 1950s, 1970s and 1980s causing small, local earthquakes and ground uplift.

Similar unrest occurred over 500 years ago, when it took a century to build up to an eruption in 1538.

Using a new model, the researchers investigated whether Campi Flegrei may again be preparing to erupt.

They found that the unrest since the 1950s has been causing a build-up of energy in the crust and making the volcano more vulnerable to eruption.

Until now, scientists had thought that the energy needed to stretch the crust was lost after each period of unrest.

Dr Kilburn said: ‘By studying how the ground is cracking and moving at Campi Flegrei, we think it may be approaching a critical stage where further unrest will increase the possibility of an eruption, and it’s imperative that the authorities are prepared for this.

‘We don’t know when or if this long-term unrest will lead to an eruption, but Campi Flegrei is following a trend we’ve seen when testing our model on other volcanoes, including Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, El Hierro in the Canary Islands, and Soufriere Hills on Montserrat in the Caribbean.

‘We are getting closer to forecasting eruptions at volcanoes that have been quiet for generations by using detailed physical models to understand how the preceding unrest develops.’…..More Here

Click here for reuse options!
Copyright 2017 Hiram's 1555 Blog

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.