Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure

The lateral eruption which started on 26 October 2002 is peculiar also because it involved both the South and the North flanks of the volcano, passing through the axis of Bocca Nuova. On the North flank, the eruptive fissure was about 3 km long, with the upper vents at 2500 m.a.s.l., and the lowest and most active chain of new craters at 2000 m.a.s.l. This page shows the activity of this fissure and the lava flows which buried Piano Provenzana and the pine forest of Linguaglossa down to 1100 m.a.s.l. All times are local (GMT + 1hr). As usual, lens focal lengths help to understand scales.

Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
29 Oct, 18h. f=28mm from the foot of Monte Nero. About fifteen vents are active along the fissure at 2000 m.a.s.l., lying exactly over the jeep track once joining Piano Provenzana to the summit.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
29 Oct, 18h. f=50mm from the foot of Monte Nero. Dense ash clouds are erupted by lava fountains rising over the upper vents, while the lowest ones explode huge magma bubbles.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
29 Oct, 18h. f=28mm from the foot of Monte Nero. Bombs from this giant bubble explosion have flown over my head. Many set fires burning beech trees just below the crater chain (right).
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 5h. f=28mm from the top of Monte Nero. After few hours, only ten vents are still active. Many erupt giant magma bubbles sending bombs to fire bushes (on the far right).
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 6h. f=135mm from the top of Monte Nero. Dense ash columns erupted by the upper vents at 2000 m.a.s.l.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 6h. f=135mm from the top of Monte Nero. Strombolian eruptions eject huge red bombs in the ash columns.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 7h. f=135mm from the top of Monte Nero. Red lava fountains rise from the most active upper vent.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 7h. f=135mm from the top of Monte Nero. Shower of bombs on the west side of the crater chain.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 6h. f=50mm from the top of Monte Nero. The North Fissure in full activity. Mt. Ponte di Ferro on the right foreground. Partially buried beech trees on the left foreground give the scale.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 7h. f=28mm from the top of Monte Nero. Panoramic view of the whole North Fissure. The upper vents at 2500 m.a.s.l. erupt dense ash (upper right) just below the North East Crater.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 12h. f=16mm (fish-eye lens) from the north jeep track. Tom observes dense ash columns rising from the upper vents at 2500 m.a.s.l. A worrying crack in the foregorund.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 13h. f=28mm from the north jeep track. «The Mouth of the Monster»: this «bottomless» explosive vent at 2500 m.a.s.l. covered the jeep track with millions of bombs.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
30 Oct, 11h. f=16mm (fish-eye lens) from Mt. Timpa Rossa. The huge ash column rises from the lowest North Fissure between Monte Nero (far left) and Mt. Umberto e Margherita (right, Lateral Eruption 1879).
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
5 Nov, 11h. f=28mm from Piano Provenzana. The lava flow coming from the lowest North Fissure has completely buried Piano Provenzana and molten this concrete wall, all what remains of former Hotel Le Betulle.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
5 Nov, 13h. f=50mm from Mandra del Re (1100 m.a.s.l.). The lava flow front has reached a oak-trees wood: strange contrast between green leaves and red molten rocks.
Lateral Eruption 2002: The North Fissure
5 Nov, 14h. f=50mm from Mandra del Re. «Fatal Embrace»: the lava flow first surrounds an oak tree, which later burns «erupting» red sparks.
Copyright: M. Fulle.