Volcanic News: ItalyFeb 23, 2007
The ground on the western edges of Naples, Italy is rising, spurring worries of a possible volcanic eruption, but scientists now think they know exactly what is causing the uplift and may be able to better predict any potential eruption.
Using GPS measurements, a group of scientists at the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology in Italy monitored the ground’s motions for several years, and based on the patterns they observed, they believe the uplifting is caused by magma intruding from a shallow chamber.
Using GPS measurements, a group of scientists at the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology in Italy monitored the ground’s motions for several years, and based on the patterns they observed, they believe the uplifting is caused by magma intruding from a shallow chamber.
The land on the western edge of Naples, called the Campi Flegrei, is a large, ancient volcanic caldera about 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) across. A caldera forms when a volcano collapses into itself after the underlying magma chamber empties, usually from an eruption.Campi Flegrei last erupted in 1538. It is part of a larger volcanic arc that includes Mount Vesuvius.
