Italy's Mt. Etna erupting in November 2006.
Well, I am currently off in the wilderness, but that doesn't mean that things aren't still hopping here at Eruptions. We are lucky to have Dr. Boris Behncke of the INGV Catania as that blogger and he brings us a three-part series on Mt. Etna on the island of Silicy. That means this week is Etna Week here on Eruptions, so for all of you chomping at the bit for more information on the Italian volcano, you are going to get it (and then some).
modern-day satellites who can watch that same summit from space.
I think you're all going to love this series, so I'll thank Boris now for his great work. Enjoy!
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First off, I want to thank Dr. Behncke for taking the time to answer your questions - and also, thank you to all who sent him some thought-provoking questions. In fact, the questions and answers take up about 12 pages of text, so the Q&A will be divided into two parts.
If you want to see one…
The first Q&A with Dr. Jonathan Castro was such a success, I'm going to try to make this a regular feature. On that note, Eruptions reader Dr. Boris Behncke has volunteered to be the second geologist to take the plunge. Here is a little about Boris and his work:
I've studied geology first in…
Today was a doubleheader for volcanic eruptions in the news:
Today's explosive eruption from Mt. Etna. Image courtesy of the INGV.
As I briefly mentioned earlier, Galeras in Colombia had an "atypical" eruption - apparently meaning it was non-explosive - that has prompted evacuations and a change…
The final part of Etna Week, brought to us by guest blogger Dr. Boris Behncke. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 as well!
Etna Volcanic hazards
By guest blogger Dr. Boris Behncke.
Etna is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, and a population of nearly one million people dwell on its flanks, many in…
@Erik @Boris
This blog is similar to soap operas in Brazil: once you see the first chapter you get addicted. You guys should be in the entertainment business.
Just coming back from work to my daily checking of volcanic news (all quiet over Iceland) and you give us Etna! And introducing it with the most fantastic picture.
Good grief!
I have papers to write, but I'll just get a snack and read through the main page.
Amazing blog! I'm so happy to be here.
Thank you!
Heh, better than Shark Week! on the Discovery Channel.
@Boris:
Congratulations for the beautiful family you have.
I saw the picture of your daughter (http://www.flickr.com/photos/etnaboris/) playing with sulfur on Etna's slope and I remember that when I was a kid my mom used an old Portuguese formula ("talco Granado") to sooth our skin rashes. It consists of a mix of talc and sulfur and happens to be an excellent antiseptic and deodorant, specially for parts of the body exposed to heavy sweating. The patent was bought by Johnson & Johnson, and I don't know if it is commercialized elsewhere. Still today I use it as a dry deodorant (it has a slight sulfur smell but it proves to be excellent for feet and armpits).
I must say I was happy to find out that Etna has a low lethality history (only 84 in historical registers), otherwise I would be worried for your family safety. But the landscape and the volcano itself are stunning , so I assume you people must have a a wonderful time living in the shade of Mama Etna.
Looking forward to more information on this amazing volcano.