A spectacular video has emerged showing Mount Etna firing hot lava and ash into the sky.

Europe’s highest and most active volcano on the southern Italian island of Sicily erupted for the fifth time this year on Sunday.

Molten lava poured down Etna’s slopes on during the eruption, which lasted an-hour-and-a-half.

Ash landed close to villages at the foot of the volcano but no damage was reported. The eruption did not cause any interruption to air traffic

 

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/mount-etna-erupts--amazing-video-captures-moment-volcano-blew-its-top.html

---

Mount Etna is at it again and has been blasting flaming lava and ash into the air in its sixth eruption this year.

The eruption is the 24th in a series that began in January 2011.

Rock blew off the southeast side of the mountain, which is only 10 miles from the Zafferana Etnea village and 18 miles North of the town of Catania on the Italian island of Sicily.

 

No warnings of danger have so far been issued by authorities and Catania International Airport has remained open.

Eruptions from Etna, which reaches 11,000ft, have been caused by the African tectonic plate sliding below the Eurasian plate.

The Eurasian plate is melting as it moves downwards and hot magma is being forced up to the surface.

Etna's most powerful recorded eruption was in 1669 when the mountain top was destroyed and lava ran in to the Mediterranean Sea.

It is difficult to predict when the mountain will erupt next.

 

---

http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/  regarding El Hierro

Joke wrote an Email to chief scientist Ramon Ortiz (advisor IGN, researcher CSIC and sometimes spokesperson in Pevolca on scientific issues) asking him how possibly the Sumatra earthquake could influence the El Hierro eruption effects (a stain was observed after the arrival of the earthquake waves at El Hierro). This is Mr. Ortiz answer :

“Cuando hay un terremoto tan grande como los del dia 11 y 12 (8.6 y 8.2 en Sumatra y 6.9 en Baja California), las ondas sismicas recorren varias veces el planta y al atravesar los sistemas magmaticos producen una liberacion de gas (disfusion rectificada) que en algunos casos puede llegar a disparar un erupcion, aunque en general solo producen mayor emision de gas (similar a cuando se agita una botella de Cava) y por eso aumento la emision de gas en la restinga y aparecio la mancha”

Translation
“When an earthquake as large as those on April 11 and April 12 occur (8.6 and 8.2 in Sumatra and 6.9 in Baja California), seismic waves travel several times through the earth and magmatic systems produce a release of gas (disfusion rectificada) that in some cases can trigger an eruption (…), although in general only produce a greater emission of gas (similar to when you shake a bottle of Cava (Spanish Champagne)) and thus the increase the emission of gas in La Restinga and a stain appeared”


I also found this link on the same site showing a timelapse of Etna

Interesting comments here from http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/ regarding El Hierro

Joke wrote an Email to chief scientist Ramon Ortiz (advisor IGN, researcher CSIC and sometimes spokesperson in Pevolca on scientific issues) asking him how possibly the Sumatra earthquake could influence the El Hierro eruption effects (a stain was observed after the arrival of the earthquake waves at El Hierro). This is Mr. Ortiz answer :

“Cuando hay un terremoto tan grande como los del dia 11 y 12 (8.6 y 8.2 en Sumatra y 6.9 en Baja California), las ondas sismicas recorren varias veces el planta y al atravesar los sistemas magmaticos producen una liberacion de gas (disfusion rectificada) que en algunos casos puede llegar a disparar un erupcion, aunque en general solo producen mayor emision de gas (similar a cuando se agita una botella de Cava) y por eso aumento la emision de gas en la restinga y aparecio la mancha”

Translation
“When an earthquake as large as those on April 11 and April 12 occur (8.6 and 8.2 in Sumatra and 6.9 in Baja California), seismic waves travel several times through the earth and magmatic systems produce a release of gas (disfusion rectificada) that in some cases can trigger an eruption (…), although in general only produce a greater emission of gas (similar to when you shake a bottle of Cava (Spanish Champagne)) and thus the increase the emission of gas in La Restinga and a stain appeared”


I also found this link on the same site showing a timelapse of Etna

/>

Thanks - that's interesting stuff.

---

Article in The Telegraph pointing to the increased signs of a potential eruption from the Katla caldera in Iceland.

There are signs of high activity beneath the Katla caldera in Iceland – a possible sign of an impending eruption. This should prompt extensive high-level contingency planning across Europe, as Katla has the potential to be much more damaging than Eyjafjallajökull was.

On average the volcano has erupted every 60 years, but the last eruption was in 1918.

 

---

But Katla has its denialists too

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/peddling-fear-of-an-icelandic-volcanic-eruption/

---

However Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano, which lies some 50 miles (80 km) to the southeast of Mexico City has started showing signs of life.

The volcano's lava dome started to expand on Friday, suggesting fresh magma may be pushing upwards. It spewed red-hot fragments and lightly dusted cars and streets in some small towns in the state of Puebla.

Schools in at least five small towns near the volcano called off classes after Mexico's National Center for Disaster Prevention raised the alert level for the 5,450-meter (17,900-foot) Popocatepetl late on Monday.

 

 

A new risk map that reveals the hazards most likely to occur in the future on Popocatepetl, considered the planet's riskiest volcano -- has been developed by the University at Buffalo volcanologist Michael F. Sheridan, Ph.D., and colleagues at UB and the National University of Mexico (UNAM).

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/hires/popohazvert.jpg

---

 

A new risk map that reveals the hazards most likely to occur in the future on Popocatepetl, considered the planet's riskiest volcano -- has been developed by the University at Buffalo volcanologist Michael F. Sheridan, Ph.D., and colleagues at UB and the National University of Mexico (UNAM).

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/hires/popohazvert.jpg

Who says riskiest? and measured by what criterion? e.g.

Yosemite - every 3/4 m years, but capable of wipng out life worldwide

Katla - every few hundred years, capable of causing starvation in Europe

Etna - every decade, could destroy a town or two in Sicily

and if, as I suspect, Popocatapetl is being nominated for 'most risky', it's probably on a combination of frequency, violence and closeness to inhabited areas, there are certainly other strong contenders in Indonesia such as Mount Merapi.

Anyway, here's a list of 10 to keep your eye on, with data and some nice photos:

http://www.travelvivi.com/top-10-most-dangerous-volcanos-worldwide/

---

 

A new risk map that reveals the hazards most likely to occur in the future on Popocatepetl, considered the planet's riskiest volcano -- has been developed by the University at Buffalo volcanologist Michael F. Sheridan, Ph.D., and colleagues at UB and the National University of Mexico (UNAM).

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/hires/popohazvert.jpg

Who says riskiest? and measured by what criterion? e.g.

Yosemite - every 3/4 m years, but capable of wipng out life worldwide

Katla - every few hundred years, capable of causing starvation in Europe

Etna - every decade, could destroy a town or two in Sicily

and if, as I suspect, Popocatapetl is being nominated for 'most risky', it's probably on a combination of frequency, violence and closeness to inhabited areas, there are certainly other strong contenders in Indonesia such as Mount Merapi.

Anyway, here's a list of 10 to keep your eye on, with data and some nice photos:

http://www.travelvivi.com/top-10-most-dangerous-volcanos-worldwide/

Thanks for this

---

 

A new risk map that reveals the hazards most likely to occur in the future on Popocatepetl, considered the planet's riskiest volcano -- has been developed by the University at Buffalo volcanologist Michael F. Sheridan, Ph.D., and colleagues at UB and the National University of Mexico (UNAM).

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/hires/popohazvert.jpg

Who says riskiest? and measured by what criterion? e.g.

Yosemite - every 3/4 m years, but capable of wipng out life worldwide

Katla - every few hundred years, capable of causing starvation in Europe

Etna - every decade, could destroy a town or two in Sicily

and if, as I suspect, Popocatapetl is being nominated for 'most risky', it's probably on a combination of frequency, violence and closeness to inhabited areas, there are certainly other strong contenders in Indonesia such as Mount Merapi.

Anyway, here's a list of 10 to keep your eye on, with data and some nice photos:

http://www.travelvivi.com/top-10-most-dangerous-volcanos-worldwide/

Yosemite?

---

Who says riskiest? and measured by what criterion? e.g.

Yosemite - every 3/4 m years, but capable of wipng out life worldwide

Katla - every few hundred years, capable of causing starvation in Europe

Etna - every decade, could destroy a town or two in Sicily

and if, as I suspect, Popocatapetl is being nominated for 'most risky', it's probably on a combination of frequency, violence and closeness to inhabited areas, there are certainly other strong contenders in Indonesia such as Mount Merapi.

Anyway, here's a list of 10 to keep your eye on, with data and some nice photos:

http://www.travelvivi.com/top-10-most-dangerous-volcanos-worldwide/

or there's the list of "decade volcanos".

Ah, Katla - lots of blumf in the media after that other Icelandic volcano went up, all basically saying that it would go off within a year. It didn't, of course.

Sod's law says it'll go off in the next 2 weeks, as I'm meant to be flying to Chicago on holiday on the 2nd!

---

Ah, Katla - lots of blumf in the media after that other Icelandic volcano went up, all basically saying that it would go off within a year. It didn't, of course.

Sod's law says it'll go off in the next 2 weeks, as I'm meant to be flying to Chicago on holiday on the 2nd!

To be fair, it did actually erupt in 2011 but it was apparently so small that almost no-one noticed. As you suggest not the cataclysmic event that some areas of the media were suggesting. I have a hunch Katla will probably erupt "properly" within the next 5 to 10 years as it is slowly bundling up to that IMO.

Enjoy your holiday!

The excellent "Eruptions blog" puts the volcanic hazard discussion into context...location, location, location.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/when-it-comes-to-volcanic-hazards-it-is-all-about-location/#more-106947 

---

 

Who says riskiest? and measured by what criterion? e.g.

Yosemite - every 3/4 m years, but capable of wipng out life worldwide

Yosemite?

Sorry, Yellowstone caldera

---

I see that Popocatepetl has been rumbling and pumping out ash again today (from 60 openings apparently!)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17793797

 

Edit: It looks even more active today and more residents in the area are being evacuated. To me the data suggest a large eruption may be likely/imminent.

---

While Popo continues to rumble Etna is putting on a little bit of a show tonight too (again)

http://www.guide-etna.com/webcam/CAMERA1.jpg 

---

Popo is still erupting and for those interested Katla may boffering up for an eruption of some sorts in the very near future. Certainly worth keeping an eye on.

---

Popo becomes more active.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18290809

---

Katla looking rather unsettled this evening from a brief glance at the earthquake page:

 

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/#view=map 

Katla looking rather unsettled this evening from a brief glance at the earthquake page:

 

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/#view=map 

Yes, and again today. The quakes may not be big but they seem to be increasingly frequent and very shallow. I wonder if Katla is on the verge of an eruption and if so will it be so small that we do not even notice (like last year's) or something else...? Or the option is of course the activity will die down again and the wait for the next eruption will continue.

One thing's for sure and that is it is more likely to erupt than Yellowstone 😉

---