Strong summit activity just before the start of the lava flow
In December 2002 Roberto Carniel and Marco Fulle undertook a trip to Stromboli to maintain our seismic station. Two summit craters were very active, producing powerful strombolian eruptions. In addition many steam rings were ejected from perfectly circular vents easily visible from Pizzo. All images were taken from Pizzo at sunset on 19. December 2002 using a 135mm telephoto lens.
While the central vent of NE crater erupts for several minutes (right), a hornito on the left produces steam rings (top left corner).
This perfect steam ring was ejected by another vent, a perfectly circular one in the middle of SW crater.
A strong NE wind was blowing on Pizzo. Turbulence quickly deformed most steam rings.
Lava spattering at NE crater. A big lava flow started to emerge from the base of this crater just a few days later.
The same hornito as in the image above suddenly ejected a strong lava jet.
Lava is erupted very close to the rim of NE crater. The lava seems to be very fluid.
A lava clot about 10m in size remains incandescent for a quarter of hour on the NE rim of NE crater.
SW crater also erupts wonderful fountains of very fluid lava. Its vent is clearly visible on the crater floor.
