Etna : the twenty paroxysmal episodes of 2013.

Since the 80s , the activity of Etna is characterized by frequent   paroxysmal qualified episodes, traditionally made of three phases: a prelude and an increased level of activity, the climax itself, the decline and cessation of eruptive activity . Each " peak " is different and characterized by its violence, its duration,  the point(s) of origin of the activity.

The year 2013 has been marked so far by 20 paroxysmal episodes at the southeast crater of Etna. Browsing this episodes, no in details ... what has been done in the course of the year, you can remove certain features or characteristics.

- 1. February 19 :
 You can see a pyroclastic flow during the climax phase of activity

 - 2. February 20
- 3. February 20 : Three paroxysmal episodes are recorded in less than 36 hours , including two on the same day , which had not be seen since 2000.

                 Tremor peaks of 19 and 20 February 2013 - INGV Catania doc
                     Etna 20/02/2013 - doc. infalse-color NASA Ali swir

- 4. February 21
- 5. February 23 : the latter event is marked by the smaller volume of lava emitted , but also abundant and localized pyroclastic materials falls. Near Linguaglossa, 15 km from the crater, there is slag of more than 20 cm.

Large scoria found by Boris Behncke to Monte Baracca , the 02/25/2013 - photo B.Behncke / INGV

 
                     Etna - the climax of 23.02.2013 - Photo Sicilia turismo.it

- 6. February 27 to 28 : the 28.02, a fissure opens in the saddle between the old and the new southeast cone.

Etna - the new mouth in the saddle between the two south-east cones- Photo by Boris Behncke in early March .

Etna - lava flows of the last peak in February -  Photo by Boris Behncke, in early March
  

A beautiful series of 6 episodes for the month of February !

- 7. March 5 and 6 : a fallout with slag of size between 5 and 30 cm. on the Monti Sartorius .

     Etna - the Monti Sartorius covered by scoria  - photo Boris Behncke / INGV 8 mars2013

- 8. March 16: a lot of scoria on Zafferana Etnea, Santa Venerina and Acireale .

 


Etna - some webcam pictures of paroxysms of 05.03 and 16.03 - doc . INGV

                 Etna - April 3, 2013 / 4:59 p.m. - webcam Etnatrekking
- 9. April 3
- 10. April 11 to 12

                  Etna 12.04 2013 - a spring plume - photo Turi Caggegi / Republica

- 11. April 18
- 12. April 20
- 13. 27-28 April

  Etna - Map of the lava flows from NSEC between February-March and 27 April 2013 - doc . INGV

Apart a small strombolian activity on 3 and 6 September, was an interruption of the paroxysmal activity for about six months.

- 14. October 26 : where two craters are active simultaneously, emitting plumes more or less loaded : the southeast crater (SEC) and the northeast crater (NEC)

Etna 26/10/2013 - left the plume NSEC - right , the NEC - photo Boris Behncke / NASA Earth Observatory

Etna 10/26/2013 - lighter gas plumes ( NSEC ) drifting towards the African coast, and ash-laden plume at different heights - Image Nasa / Oli

Note also the destruction of the remnants of refuge and cottages of Torre del Fikosofo - article on this blog

  Etna - 26/10/2013 - Torre del Filosofo coverd by the lava flows - photo Marco Nerri / via INGV

- 15. On 11 -12 November, with a phase of maximum intensity of 7.5 hours.

            Etna - map of the lava flows of 11.11.2013 - and altitudes reached by the lava fronts - INGV

                 Etna - the layout of the 11/13/2013 flows - photo Turi Caggegi

- 16. November 16 to 17

            Etna - curve of tremor from 11 to 17/11/2013 , including two paroxysms - doc . INGV

Etna - changing of the topography of the NSEC between 13.01 and 11.17.2013 - photos by Boris Behncke

- 17. November 23 : Strombolian activity is rapidly moving towards the stage of fountaining
 
                   Etna - the plume seen from Zafferana - photo Etna il Vulcano / Twitter / Facebook

- 18. November 28

                       Etna 11/28/2013 - photo Salvo Landro / via Etna Walk

- 19. On 2 - 3 december : a climax during which there is more effusion .

             Etna - 02.12.2013 / 23h - The different lava flows - photo Boris Behncke

- 20. December 14 to 17 : the peak is characterized by a long total of 23 hours between the first explosion and the end of emission of ash, and a tremor that is slow to return to its original level ... the comments are waiting from the observatory.

            Etna -  characterizing curve of the tremor of the last peak - doc . INGV

                Etna 16.12.2013 - strombolian activity and lava flows - photo Turi Caggegi

Sources :

- divers rapports et photos de l'INGV Catania - link

- photos de Boris Behncke, Turi Caggegi et EtnaWalk