The 79 AD eruption of Somma: The relationship between the date of the eruption and the southeast tephra dispersion

Volcanic hazard and risk assessment in a multi-source volcanic area: the example of Napoli city (Southern Italy)

“…As a matter of fact, pyroclastic fall products of high VEI eruptions of Somma Vesuvio are mainly spread towards the NE, and in the past 25 ka no plinian column was diverted towards the NW from the volcano. By simulating explosive events and investigating the wind directions, Barberi et al (1990), Cioni et al (2003), Rolandi et al (2007), Macedonio et al (2008), Daniele et al (2009) and Rolandi (2010) reach almost the same conclusion: prevailing winds at the higher altitudes blow from the W, as a consequence a possible future plinian event most probably will spread its products in the eastern sectors from the volcano and they would therefore spare Napoli. Daniele et al (2009), however, prove the high variability of wind fields in the lowermost layers of atmosphere, and from this consideration descend the conclusion that a possible future violent strombolian-subplinian event, displaying column heights lower than those of a plinian eruption, could endanger Napoli city.…”

“…The influence of wind on the direction of main dispersal axis was investigated for plinian, sub-plinian and violent strombolian eruptions (Barberi et al, 1990;Cioni et al, 2003;Rolandi et al, 2007;Macedonio et al, 2008;Rolandi, 2010). Prevailing winds blow mainly from west throughout the entire year for altitudes of up to 20 km.…”

Fumarolic Minerals: An Overview of Active European Volcanoes

“…The activity of Monte Somma has been characterized by a series of sub-Plinian and Plinian eruptions alternating with long quiescent periods lasting from centuries to millennia, followed by periods of semipersistent activity characterized by lava effusions and low-energy explosive eruptions in the past 4 kyr. The Plinian AD 79 eruption [121] broke a long period of quiescence and represented one of better-known devastating events in the Mt. Vesuvius history.…”

“…Somma caldera possibly after this eruption. After it, the volcano featured two sub-plinian events in AD 472 and 1631 [121]. Mt.…”

Nicholas J. Saunders & Paul Cornish (ed.). Contested objects: material memories of the Great War. xx+311 pages, 87 illustrations. 2009. London: Routledge; 978-0-415-45070-6 hardback.

“…the inscription celebrating emperor Titus' 'good bowel movement in Herculaneum', p. 42) or indulges in clichés ('Roman heroes obviously knew how to behave in the face of great danger', p. 65). The recent and convincing hypothesis (Rolandi et al 2007) of a winter -rather than summer -eruption in AD 79 is regrettably ignored. The information provided is otherwise accurate and upto-date.…”