Mount Etna

Nov. 15, 2023

Mount Etna which is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, was causing public concern as well it started erupting recently.

About Mount Etna:

  • It is Europe’s most active volcano and one of the largest in the world.
  • Its recorded volcanic activity dates back to 1500 B.C.
  • It is on the eastern coast of Sicily.
  • It is the highest Mediterranean island mountain and the most active stratovolcano in the world. 
  • It is about 3,326 meters high and is the highest peak in Italy South of the Alps.

What are volcanoes?

  • Volcanoes are openings, or vents where lava, tephra (small rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth’s surface.
  • These can be on land and in the ocean.
  • They are, in part, a result of their own eruptions but also the general formation of our planet, as tectonic plates move.

What is a stratovolcano?

  • It is also called a composite volcano.
  • This volcanic landform is characterized by a conical shape formed by layers of volcanic material deposited during successive volcanic eruptions.
  • These volcanoes tend to slope gently at the base but rise quickly near the summit to form tall mountain peaks.
  • They are typically found above subduction zones, and they are often part of large volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the Pacific Ocean.

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