Introduce, Discuss and Analyze: The Geology of Mt. Vesuvius

A detailed Summary of Introduce, Discuss and Analyze: The Geology of Mt. Vesuvius

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of science in geology. Specifically it will discuss the geologic features of Mt. Vesuvius. Mt. Vesuvius may be the most noted volcano in the world. It is certainly one of the most studied. Almost everyone in the world knows the volcano erupted in early Roman history, burying the town of Pompeii and several other towns, which have become rich in geologic and archeological discovery. Mt. Vesuvius is still a model of volcanic study, and most scientists agree that it is not a question of if it will erupt again, but when. Many believe another century will not go by without an eruption of the infamous volcano.

Mt. Vesuvius is located in Italy on the Bay of Naples. In fact, the mountain is extremely close to the modern city of Naples, Italy. Vesuvius is actually located partially inside the collapsed caldera of a much older volcano, called Mount Somma, which existed over 17,000 years ago (Wood). Vesuvius is important for several reasons. First, the eruption in 79 A.D. that buried Pompeii and surrounding cities was the original volcanic eruption actually written about and studied. In addition, today Vesuvius looms over or could affect nearly 3 million pe

There is another geologic abnormality to Vesuvius - it is not predictable in the type of eruptions it produces. Throughout recorded history, the volcano's eruptions have not been consistent, rather they have shown a wide variety of eruption types, from low-level crater activity, to explosive eruptions. Throughout its history, the eruptions have varied, as Behncke notes, "from a) low-level Strombolian-Hawaiian (1895-99 and 1929 type) over b) Vulcanian (1906 and 1944 type) and c) sub-Plinian (AD 472 and 1631 type) to d) violent Plinian (AD 79 type) eruptions" (Behncke). This makes it even more difficult to predict what type of eruption may come next from the mountain, and shows the many geologic forces at work beneath the cone. Each one creates different conditions that create different eruptive types.

In conclusion, scientists continue to study Mt. Vesuvius, and question when it will explode again. They know it is simply a matter of time, and now, millions of people are directly or indirectly threatened by eruption, flows, and ash. Vesuvius is a world-renowned volcano that can tell scientists much about volcanic eruptions and their causes. Its history has helped give a greater understanding of volcanic activity, and only time can tell what the future holds for the mountain and the people surrounding it.

The entire geology of the area surrounding Vesuvius is volcanic and unsteady. Vesuvius and the surrounding area lie above a subduction zone, or an area where two tectonic plates meet, and this adds to the geologic instability of the area. As Dr. Wood explains, "The African plate is moving northward at about one inch (2-3 cm) per year and is slowly closing the Mediterranean basin. As it moves to the north, the African plate is pushed beneath the Eurasian plate" (Wood). Thus, the area continues to suffer from earthquakes, as the 1980 quake clearly shows. The geology of the mountain is unstable, too. Mudflows occurring from strong rains have occurred, and large mudflows characterized the 1631 eruption, too. There are also several other active but smaller volcanoes in the area, which add to the overall danger from eruptions to the residents throughout the area. In fact, there is a volcanic field west of Naples, the Phlegrĉan, and there is an island volcano off the coast, along with several underwater volcanoes (Grabau 111).

ople, making it potentially the most dangerous volcano in the world. At least it is the one that could do the most damage to communities and human life.

Vesuvius is most famous for the 79 A.D. eruption that buried the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pompeii was buried under nearly ten feet of ash and tephra (debris from the eruption of a volcano), while Herculaneum was covered in up to 75 feet of ash as a result of a pyroclastic flow. Dr. Wood

Some common words found in the essay are:
SSE Vesuvio's, Dr Wood, Expert Behncke, Mt Vesuvius, Wood Vesuvius, Naples Phlegrĉan, Ron Morton, AD Earthquakes, Wood Historians, Pompeii Herculaneum, mt vesuvius, 79 ad, dr wood, eruption 79, towns pompeii, towns pompeii herculaneum, volcanic activity, gray pumice, roman history, eruption column, pyroclastic flow, eruption 79 ad, 79 ad eruption,

Approximate Word count = 1891
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science