June 2001: Five Consecutive Paroxysms of SECIn June 2001, South East Crater restarted a cycle of spectacular paroxysms like in the first six months of 2000, although less intense but much longer and regularly spaced. These differences made monitoring the volcanic activity much easier compared to last year, and, thanks to excellent weather conditions, SOL photographer Marco Fulle, together with Tom Pfeiffer and Stephane Granier, was able to observe five consecutive paroxysms under the best viewing perspectives. Here we present some photos of paroxysms 8, 9 and 10, while on page 1 those of the paroxysms 6 and 7. To give a sense of the perspective, camera lens focal lengths are given (i.e. f=28mm). As usual the pictures on this page link to larger photos (about 40 to 100 KB). All times are local (GMT + 2 hr). Abbreviations: SEC = South East Crater; NEC = North East Crater; TDF = Torre del Filosofo. | |||
 26 June 19h, f=28mm. «Mouth of a monster»: Levantino seen from SEC's summit between paroxysms 9 and 10. Pizzi Deneri on the left background. |  22 June 19h, f=28mm from TDF. At the beginning of paroxysm 8, heat convection above SEC causes a tornado about 2km high. It has formed on SEC's W flank. |  22 June 19h, f=28mm. After two minutes the tornado has disappeared, and SEC's top ejects ash columns 3km high, showering its own flanks with bombs. |  22 June 19h, f=135mm. SEC's top vent ejects spectacular «magma bubbles», throwing meter-sized and larger bombs over all SEC's slopes. |
 22 June 20h, f=135mm. Spatters from the «magma bubbles» impact on SEC's slopes and roll towards Sudestino in the foreground. |  22 June 20h, f=135mm. Red bombs generate dust tails like little comets; Levantino steaming in the background. |  22 June 20h, fish-eye photo (diagonal 180°). The eruptive ash columns drift precisely towards Etna's shadow due to a SW wind. |  24 June 19h, f=135mm from Padellazza (500m north of Belvedere). Paroxysm 9 starts with a sudden ash eruption from NEC. |
 24 June 19h, f=28mm. The ash clouds released by NEC filter sunlight rising behind SEC's black profile. |  24 June 19h, f=28mm. The NEC ash puffs cause anticrepuscular rays on Etna's shadow. Giarre and Ionian Sea in the background. |  24 June 21h, f=135mm. Like all previous ones, paroxysm 9 starts with lava flows and mild spattering at Levantino (left). |  24 June 21h, f=135mm. Levantino spatters more vigorously, although its no more lava fountains as on 17. June occur. |
 24 June 22h, f=50mm. A moonlit sky spans above spectacular magma bubble explosions from SEC's top, while Levantino (right) spatters and releases huge lava flows towards Valle del Bove. |  24 June 22h, f=135mm. The whole fissure between Levantino and SEC's top spatters and releases a new lava flow between our position and Levantino. |  24 June 22h, f=28mm. The moon sets just over TDF (left), while SEC almost reaches it with bombs ejected by powerful strombolian bursts. |  24 June 23h, f=50mm. On exactly the same day at precisely the same time of the last big paroxysm (Nr. 64) in the year 2000, huge magma bubbles shower SEC's slopes. |
 24 June 23h, f=50mm. While strombolian bursts eject bombs almost vertically, the «magma bubbles» explode ejecting bombs mostly horizontally. Lava flows from Levantino on the right. |  27 June 21h, f=135mm from Padellazza. During paroxysm 10 Levantino continues its trend of decreasing activity: past lava fountains have evolved into a milder type of spattering. |  27 June 22h, f=135mm. During the paroxysm, the whole fissure becomes active with vigorous strombolian activity and lava flows. Rolling bombs from SEC in the foreground. |  27 June 23h, f=135mm. At the end of paroxysm 10 huge lava flows from Levantino's slopes run towards Valle del Bove. |