Solfatara

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The Solfatara (Italian: Cratere Solfatara ) is a Holocene volcanic crater in the urban area of Pozzuoli , west of Naples ( Italy ). The crater has a diameter of approx. 770 m and has steep walls on three sides. In the south, the border opens towards the city and the Gulf of Naples .

volcanology

Gas leaks in the Solfatara crater

The Solfatara belongs to the active volcanic province of the Phlegraean Fields , which consists of numerous eruption centers and calderas , and was formed during an eruption about 4000 years ago. Another phreatic eruption may have occurred in the 12th century (1198).

Today the solfatara is characterized by numerous gas escapes, the solfatars named after it, especially in the eastern part . At temperatures <200 ° C, in addition to water vapor (H 2 O), numerous other gases (including sulfur , antimony and mercury compounds ) are emitted, which can also be clearly smelled. The Vesuvius Observatory examines the chemical composition of the gases at regular intervals, the change of which could indicate renewed activity in the subsurface. Furthermore, three reflector pairs are in the Solfatara satellite using leveling made measurements to buckling in connection with Magmenaufstieg to recognize in time.

Solfatara, October 10, 2016

tourism

The ancient Roman "sauna", October 2016

The crater is used for tourism, u. a. there is a campsite in the western part of the Solfatara, and information panels on volcanological and botanical topics are discussed. In the crater itself there is still an ancient “sauna” from Roman times, which then and now uses natural geothermal energy and steam generation.

Accident 2017

On September 12, 2017, there was a tragic accident in which an 11-year-old boy and his parents were killed in an accident; only the boy's younger brother survived. First reports that the eleven-year-old should have illegally entered a cordoned off area turned out to be false according to eyewitness reports. According to a resident who can overlook the solfatara from her balcony, the entire family was on the approved visiting path when eleven-year-old Lorenzo slipped into an unsecured crevice. Both parents were also killed trying to save their child.

Access to visitors has been blocked since the accident. Since the gas flow is steadily increasing, there is still danger and the volcano cannot be visited (see 3D mapping of the solfatara). The public prosecutor has charged the operator with triple murder; the death of father, mother and son can be attributed to the toxic gases (see Il Mattino, Napoli, November 1, 2019)

The reopening for visitors to the crater and the campsite is planned for June 2020 [obsolete] .

literature

  • Rollo Steffens: Italy's volcanoes. Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Aeolian Islands, Etna (World Geographic Edition). C! H! F-Verlag, Au (Breisgau), 2nd, revised edition 2014, ISBN 978-3-942838-06-1 .

Web links

Commons : Solfatara  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Parents and children die on volcanic field near Naples orf.at, September 12, 2017, accessed September 12, 2017.
  2. ↑ Morti nella solfatara, testimone: la voragine non era stata segnalata . In: Tgcom24 . ( mediaset.it [accessed December 18, 2017]).

Coordinates: 40 ° 49 ′ 38 ″  N , 14 ° 8 ′ 21 ″  E