Posted on 04/29/2019 7:33:40 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Researchers from the University of Oxford have traced the origin of a pre-historic eruption that blanketed the Mediterranean region in ash 29,000 years ago to Naples' lesser-known volcano Campi Flegrei, located immediately to the west of the city.
Since the late 1970s scientists have identified the same pre-historic volcanic ash layer in sediment cores extracted from sites ranging across 150,000 square kilometres of the central Mediterranean. This widespread ash layer, dated at 29,000 years ago, blanketed the region and clearly indicated a large volcanic eruption. Whilst the region is well known for its many active volcanoes, such as Mount Vesuvius which famously destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD, scientists had failed to confidently match this older, far-ranging ash deposit to a specific volcano or eruption...
"Part of the challenge of reliably attributing this major ash fall event to Campi Flegrei volcano has been that there is limited evidence for a large eruption close to the volcano," says Albert. "This is in part because a more recent large-scale eruption of the volcano buried the Naples area in a thick ash deposit, largely destroying or concealing the evidence of this older event," says Albert...
This research positions the timing of this previously un-reported large-scale eruption of Campi Flegrei between two well-known large-scale eruptions of the volcano, at 15,000 and 40,000 years ago, drastically reducing the reoccurrence interval of large magnitude eruptions at the volcano.
(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...
The Campi Flegrei topics, sorted chrono:
Sounds like the interval rate is now believed to be between 10k - 15k years.
Which means that Campi Flegrei is due for another big blowout at any time.
That sounds pretty exciting. I’d hate to be there when it burps though.
I went to Naples and Ercolano a few years ago, I just kept thinking the whole time that one day this is all going to be buried just like Pompeii was.
Interesting. And scary.
Luckily there is no volcanic or earthquake cycle.
Etna tsunami site:freerepublic.com
Atlit keyword:
Seem to recall that the Campi Flegrei volcano is on the list as one of the world’s most dangerous super volcanoes - could be wrong.
Typical screaming DM headline,, but there has been some intetesting uplift in the area recently...
From June, more sciencey...
Potential for rupture before eruption at Campi Flegrei caldera, Southern Italy
Thanks m.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4159658/posts
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4037974/posts
Update...
Note this bit...
“...Pouzzuoli Mayor Luigi Manzoni said “evacuation tests are necessary in Pozzuoli, they will take place in the coming days”...”
Good idea to do in general, but I’m thinking the locals may be genuinely concerned now.
The story has made La Repubblica...
Most is behind a paywall, but there’s a bit more here...
“Geeeet reaaddddy toooo rummmmmbllle!
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