Stromboli Volcano Eruption Update; Pyroclastic Flows Reach the Sea

On July 3rd, Italy's Mount Stromboli volcano experienced a crater rim collapse, leading to the generation of a pyroclastic flow. This pyroclastic flow not only entered the Mediterranean Sea, but also travel more than 1000 feet into its waters above it. This video will discuss Stromboli's latest eruption, why pyroclastic flows can be so deadly, and will analyze infrared camera footage.
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Frame grab from a CC BY 3.0 licensed video by • Stromboli: flusso piro... by INGVvulcani (which was also given attribution to DYNAMO & UNO) which was cropped, resized, and had the darkness of its shadows decreased, was overlaid with text, and overlaid with GeologyHub made graphics (the image border & the GeologyHub logo).
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KZbin Creative Commons video clips used in this video (CC BY 3.0 license):
[1] • Stromboli: attivita' s...
[2] • Stromboli: flusso di m...
[3] • Stromboli: flusso piro...
[4] • Stromboli: confronto c...
Sources/Citations:
[1] INGVvulcani
[2] Calvari, Sonia & Cannavò, Flavio & Bonaccorso, Alessandro & Spampinato, Letizia & Pellegrino, Alessandra. (2018). Paroxysmal Explosions, Lava Fountains and Ash Plumes at Etna Volcano: Eruptive Processes and Hazard Implications. Frontiers in Earth Science. 6. 10.3389/feart.2018.00107. CC BY 4.0.
[3] Dellino, P., Dioguardi, F., Isaia, R. et al. The impact of pyroclastic density currents duration on humans: the case of the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius. Sci Rep 11, 4959 (2021). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84..., CC BY 4.0.
[4] DYNAMO
[5] UNO
[6] U.S. Geological Survey
0:00 Mount Stromboli Erupts
0:25 Pyroclastic Flow
1:13 Infrared Camera
1:43 Pyroclastic Flow Lethality
3:09 Lava Flow
3:54 What Could Happen Next

[@GeologyHub]

I want to note that the density calculation I made for a pyroclastic flow utilized figures and densities given in this scientific paper: Dellino, P., Dioguardi, F., Isaia, R. et al. The impact of pyroclastic density currents duration on humans: the case of the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius. Sci Rep 11, 4959 (2021). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84..., CC BY 4.0 license. (This license is linked in this video’s description). It is a good read, and I recommend checking it out. Of course, pyroclastic flow densities do widely vary (some are far more pumice rich), and part of this has to do with the density of erupting material. Basalt (lower silica) = higher density, rhyolite (higher silica) = lower density.

[@MickeyFlipper]

Word going around guys were on Stromboli when it erupted. One of them was killed kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJPPpX1qgL-korcsi=BPEVDZ3l6Lx43Xmz

[@bluegold21]

A pyroclastic flow rides so easily over water not because the density is lower but because the water boils creating a slip-mat effect meaning very little friction between the ash and water occurs. You can see it happening at 1:25+. Thus the momentum is what carries the cloud so far. The Krakatoa eruption saw this effect which is why the second largest number of deaths, the tsunami being the largest, was caused by a pyroclastic flow travelling nearly 40 miles across the sea.

[@i-love-comountains3850]

Has there been any estimate of the amount of greenhouse/insulating gases that are coming from this eruption?

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

That is best analysis of a pyroclastic flow I have heard in memory. The super heated gas of a pyroclastic is an impressive display of its lethality. I really liked hearing about the gas, particulate water and air concentrations to better appreciate what makes up a pyroclastic flow.

[@wiredforstereo]

I think "superheated" refers to something else.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@wiredforstereo You are correct thanks for catching that. That was definitely a misuse of the term. Below from Wikipedia is a def. of 'superheated'. "the phenomenon in which a liquid is heated to a temperature higher than its boiling point, without boiling".

[@g1stylempdesign929]

Well put! Easily digested and very detailed.

[@bijenkoningin_]

👊💯

[@animalmother1582]

I saw an AI recreation of the lateral blast at St Helens several years ago. It was fascinating hearing how the air being sucked into the pyroclastic flow actually worked to accelerate the blast for a short time while the required heat energy was present.

[@rogergadley9965]

A friend of mine was on a ridge less than twenty miles from Mt.St. Helens on May 18th, 1980 and watched and filmed as gas and ash shot into the sky. He told me afterwards that he didn’t realize he was any danger. He saw great amounts of ash begin to tumble, then race down the mountain. Even then he said he didn’t realize that what looked like harmless, if impressive, clouds of gas might be hot. But he said to his horror, when the front edge of the ash and gas reached the foothills it instantly lit the forest there afire before engulfing the flatter landscape in billowing clouds of what he now realized was lava-hot gas. He turned and ran downhill, away from the clouds of ash. He told me there were a number of ridges between the mountain and his ridge. Afterwards he went back and looked at the area. The pyroclastic flow had flattened and burned every bit of forest up to his ridge. He said he was probably less than a mile from the death zone. Even so he says, he was burned and choked and only just survived.

[@galactus192]

Wherr is his footage he filmed?!

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@galactus192- There’s at least one major documentary here on yt with the films made by numerous scientists and tourists who got caught up at Mount St Helens. Not all of them survived.

[@rogergadley9965]

@@galactus192if you’ve watched any Mt. St. Helens documentaries, you’ve seen the film (yes it was film). Any motion pictures of the first few minutes of the eruption are his. I can’t tell you his name because I don’t have his permission.

[@BMrider75]

I spent 24 hrs on the summit as a geologist, recording the eruptions' frequency and scale, collecting samples . Knowing the weather forecast and wind direction is vital though. Eruptions of 5 - 20 seconds duration, averaged at intervals of 15 minutes, shortest interval 7 minutes, longest 37 Approaching to the very rim of the vent was not an option. Awesome through the night experience. Wednesday's eruptions are on a much larger scale.

[@IronFreee]

All the tourists used to climb to the top to watch the small explosive eruptions. I went there twice, stopping at the summit to eat sandwiches with my friends... I guess things have changed since then :)

[@davidgreen7870]

Wre you something else when you came down ,

[@luannvondracek439]

I learn something new every time I listen to this channel. You're easy to understand explanations are exceptional. Thanks very much.

[@TheSpaceEnthusiast-vl6wx]

Thanks as always! The footage is fascinating, but also nerve-wracking at the same time. This recent pyroclastic flow reminds me of a similar pyroclastic flow that occurred, if I remember correctly, October of 2022. Thanks for the information regarding the thermal conductivity! I sometimes though about it. The way this pyroclastic flow traveled over water is also interesting. While orders of magnitude larger, there was a study that suggested that Krakatau's 1883 pyroclastic flows traveled so far because they were able to "ride" on a coat of steam created by their heat.

[@brianj.841]

I heard that about Krakatau too.

[@willz9398]

Really interesting video - I've been to Stromboli twice. First time it was too active to climb up to the top and had to settle for pizza Stromboli (it's a hot one) and the best firework show on earth... second time was for the sunset show from the summit...fantastic! Go if you are lucky enough to be able to do so...

[@GeologyHub]

I plan to visit in person sometime in the future. It may sound weird, but before I was a geologist I visited Italy numerous times, but only ended up visiting Vesuvius. Need to go back for Etna, Stromboli, Vulcano, and Campi Flegrei.

[@deborahferguson1163]

I really appreciate your explanations of various geology processes!! Awesome to have this video!!! Thank you GH!!

[@mikethescotsman]

we climbed stromboli some 20 years ago and spent 40 minutes at the summit opposite this erupting vent. Our guide told us that 40 minutes was the maximum as beyond that point statistically the chance of being killed by a larger eruption or by a large lava bomb significantly increased.

[@leohorishny9561]

Aren’t there risks of gas inhalations too near the crater?🤔

[@mikethescotsman]

@@leohorishny9561 no. You are on top so gas will go downhill.

[@BMrider75]

​@@mikethescotsman the guides tell you that, because once you've seen it, they want to get back home for their dinner , and not hang around with a bunch of tourists! I spent 24 hrs on the summit as a geologist, recording the eruptions' frequency and scale, collecting samples . Knowing the weather forecast and wind direction is vital though. Eruptions of 5 - 20 seconds duration, averaged at intervals of 15 minutes, shortest interval 7 minutes, longest 37 Approaching to the very rim of the vent was not an option. Awesome through the night experience.

[@mikethescotsman]

@@BMrider75 ha ha. But unfortunately we saw the calculations of time on top against risk. It was also discussed online and I looked at that before going up.

[@mikentx57]

Does the pyroclastic flow cause enough water at the sea surface to flash into steam. So that it has the same effect as an air hockey table does?

[@RolfStones]

Iceland: look at my eruptions! Aren't they cool? Italy: hold my beer, here are 2000ft fountains at Etna and a pyroclastic flow at Stromboli

[@harrypeterson9287]

I'm sure the Leidenfrost effect plays a major role in how easily these flows glide across the water. It's riding on a layer of steam much like an air hockey puck rides on a layer of air.

[@TheSpaceEnthusiast-vl6wx]

@@harrypeterson9287 I remember hearing this about Krakatau's 1883 eruption.

[@i-love-comountains3850]

Maybe, but isn't water vapor more dense than the pyro flow? It might actually increase drag due to increasing the overall density of the cloud, but it wouldn't act like a solid gliding on a cushion of steam, I wouldn't think. I'd think the convections would cause more mixing and turbulence and drag but I'm not particularly fluent in fluid dynamics.

[@harrypeterson9287]

@@i-love-comountains3850 There's often a lot more dense debris in these flows than portrayed in the video. In fact, there can be large boulders in them. It's not just a poofy cloud of fine ash. I've seen a demonstration where a red hot coin was dropped onto water on its flat side and in slow motion can be seen hopping ever so slightly a few times before sinking. I think the heavier debris at the base of the flow would exhibit the same sort of behavior, essentially like a skipping stone on steroids. Not much water would even be vaporized, the Leidenfrost effect is an extremely thin insulating barrier of gaseous water that repels the water and hot object away from one another.

[@soranuareane]

I always wondered about the composition of pyroclastic flows. Thank you for including that!

[@scarpfish]

Mt. Pelee on Martinique is the perfect example of why you don't mess around with pyroclastic flows. Humans who have probably have a survival rate starting with a decimal. 😵 🌋 💀

[@lairdcummings9092]

This is the best explanation of the dangers of pyroclastic flows I've yet seen. Thank you.

[@tcp3059]

Especially with the warmer flows, the air temperature is enough to fry you, let alone the rock fragments. Part of my job is putting organic material in a 550°C oven (1022 °F), and it chars pretty much instantly. Your skin would take a bit longer because of the moisture content, but not much.

[@hebneh]

Pyroclastic flows sometimes move at very high speeds, so in addition to the extreme heat, poisonous gases and ash and rock, there’s also the effect of what is comparable to winds of a hurricane or tornado - just to make everything even worse.

[@n4lra1]

Wow, I wouldn't want to be fishing too near the shore at Stromboli!🥵

[@ArztvomDienst]

Dry standing air is one of the best thermal insulators *afaik Thx for all the information you share, much appreciated!

[@VoIcanoman]

I remember back in 2007, Stromboli had this massive eruption, tons of lava, etc. It motivated me to get on a plane to see it for myself. But by the time I got there (2 months later), the most reliable (arguably) volcano for eruption predictability and frequency IN THE WORLD had stopped erupting, and stayed that way for basically the whole summer. So if this increase in eruptive activity is making you want to go to see this legendary volcano, maybe hesitate. It's a cool climb, even when it's not erupting (actually, when I was there, the summit was off-limits to anyone, guide or no guide, but I climbed anyway), but still probably better when you can see it in action. But episodes which disrupt the status quo at Stromboli (i.e. which allow for a lot of magma to be released at once, rather than its usual, small and frequent eruptions) can often (as I've since learned) lead to weeks or months of low-to-no activity. So unless you're actually in Italy, or can pack up and get there in the next couple weeks, maybe wait until the steady-state behavior returns again before planning a trip. Or go somewhere else. Yasur in Vanuatu is reliable, but a lot harder and more expensive to get to (for most people...maybe Aussies and Kiwis can make a go of it though). Umm...Fuego in Guatemala's a good one, and it's close to the USA (although summer's a bad time to visit Guatemala - a lot of rain, landslides, etc....still, seeing a volcano erupt a few times an hour is a good reason to go). I have heard though, that it has gotten pretty popular with tourists, so that perhaps dozens of people per day are camping on Acatenango, and hiking over to the ridge connecting the volcanoes. So that sucks. And who knows what's going to happen in Iceland over the summer...again though, lots and lots of tourists (especially in summertime)?

[@Mark_Dyer1]

We have visited, and stayed on, Stromboli on three occasions. It is reached via hydrofoil from the port of Milazzo, on Sicily. Fortunately the two principal villages (Ginostra and Stromboli) are on the reverse side of the island from the 'Sciarra del Fuoco', the slope which carries most of the products of the craters, into the Mediterranean. It is amazing to be dining on pizza, above the villages' narrow streets, with the rumbling of the volcano for accompaniment.

[@josephwirtz8352]

There was a boat fairly close to the pyroclastic flow in the video…

[@cyberpotato63]

A few hundred yards more. Can you imagine being on the boat. "We're toast if that gets all the way out here." Maybe they'll post a video.

[@franche7408]

I passed by the Stromboli many time by boat.. Daytime or nighttime... I was so impressed by the amount of houses build right at the bottom of it.. Even more impressed when passing at night and seeing the red glow at the top of the volcano... 😮

[@pansepot1490]

Natural lighthouse. 😅 it must have been very helpful for sailing at night before gps was invented. 😊

[@Blasphemousa]

We Neapolitans have Campi Flegrei under our feets 😁

[@allentac6222]

The side by side video of the flow crossing the water was awesome!! Loved seeing the thermal image.

[@robertglennienz]

Thanks for explaining in layman terms the science behind pyroclastic flow densities - I had no idea. It is stuff like this that makes your channel my primary go-to video channel when finding out about volcanism past, present, the processes, outcomes and so forth. Cheers!

[@MSjackiesaunders]

Thank you again for a very clear and understandable video. Quick question: wasn't it pyroclastic flows that took out Pompeii?

[@xwiick]

Correct.

[@LJB103]

What happens to anything living under the water that the flow traveled over; and for any reaction, how deep would it need to be before there is no effect?

[@kennethloki7011]

Wouldn't have to be too deep. Air to water heat transfer is extremely poor. Especially since the water in the ocean is always moving, the heat dissipates rather quickly. So, probably just a couple feet.

[@LJB103]

@@kennethloki7011 Thank you

[@kellydalstok8900]

@@kennethloki7011 Ocean? It’s the Mediterranean Sea which has far less flow than an ocean. There’s hardly any difference between high and low tides.

[@kennethloki7011]

@kellydalstok8900 still part of the world's oceans, still has currents, the water is still in motion. Thank you, but you added nothing of value to the topic.

[@Dragrath1]

@@kennethloki7011 The problem with this is that there is a density separation of pyroclastic flows when the reach the water with the denser heavier rock dominated portion traveling across the seafloor in a superheated turbidite as best seen with Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai. The aftermath of these pyroclastic turbidites have also been observed at Gakkel ridge deep beneath the arctic ocean and likewise many if not most of the worlds most exceptional marine fossil assemblages known a Lagerstatten were created this way including the Mistaken point assemblage of Ediacaran biota which was an abyssal environment in association with the oceanic archipelago known as Avalonia. These pyroclastic turbidites can even travel further from their source than pyroclastic flows can on land traveling many kilometers across the seafloor incinerating and entombing anything in their path with volcanic ash.

[@mnbalfour1985]

4:07 Tell us about the geochemistry of Stromboli's magma/lava. The internet simply says it's a basaltic volcano, but there is still a variety of geochemistry in basalts.

[@Not_Dr_Kalashnikov]

Thanks for the update, I actually needed it.

[@jeddliannaldo5203]

The best "Light House" the world can ever offer.

[@Silks-]

I doubt the island’s inhabitants will see it that way

[@jeddliannaldo5203]

@@Silks- it's both a curse and a blessing for them✨

[@ThatOpalGuy]

@@Silks- dangerous, but that soil is so fertile.

[@SaiIndryana]

@@ThatOpalGuy Automatic Free Fertilizer from Earth

[@b.a.erlebacher1139]

I think it was Etna that was referred to as the lighthouse of the Mediterranean in antiquity. It's erupting a lot of the time and can be seen from far off. With no communications, or compasses or other aids to navigation, Etna was a big win for ancient ships.

[@xwiick]

Thanks for all the hard work on these videos

[@mattheide2775]

Great Channel ❤ Today has clear weather and Mt. Rainier is just beautiful today from 60 miles away. Please keep up the awesome work 👍

[@user-wj5co6xb4x]

Thank you so much for pyroclastic flow analysis - so appreciate you

[@trailfork7815]

amazing to live in times where we have full HD footage of exploding volcanos

[@yukismum5141]

absolutely brilliant vlog - super informative

[@Lethal_Venom]

Mt Stromboli one upping Americas 4th of July fireworks celebrations

[@mwheape]

This is an amazing post. Fantastic explanation. Thank you

[@Bob-jm8kl]

It's crazy that 500 people live on a 5 sq mi island that's a very active volcano. Hopefully the crater only keeps collapsing on the NW. If it does on the NE, it'll be catastrophic.

[@brucetownsend691]

The core of Mt Stromboli rises at an angle. The flows always go the same way. This is why people can live on the safe side of the island.

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

Your channel rocks, thanks man!

[@thecatalyst6212]

Another great video

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

The people on the island are lucky the lava flows and pyroclastic always go down the same slope that’s perfectly shaped from a major landslide to allow this combined with the several vents being almost on it

[@BMrider75]

The Sciara del Fuoco is the name of the slope.

[@ericsd55]

Thank you for your great work!

[@achimrecktenwald9671]

How hot does the water below the pyroclastic flow get? Could someone sitting in a boat who dives into the water survive or will the person be cooked?

[@robinguertin574]

Thank you, GH.

[@carnakthemagnificent336]

Gracias for all the temperature, mass, and thermal conductivity data!

[@pup5330]

Amazing Vid, Thanks

[@timreaves3921]

I really love the deep, detailed explanation of pyroclastic flows.

[@josh032687]

Check out the rock fragments being ejected IN FRONT OF the flow as it raced across the water!

[@Obsessed-eu5ed]

This was really informative I've often wondered about pyroclastic composition, thank you!

[@joshm963]

Wow! I was on a cruise ship that sailed past Stromboli just a couple weeks ago. We passed the island around sunset and saw some activity particularly once we were to the north of the island, but certainly nothing like this.

[@chrisl7839]

As usual, very informative. Thank you!

[@medicwebber3037]

Fascinating! Thank you!

[@RobertDePinto]

Very cool analysis. Thank you.

[@jorgenskyt]

Thank you so much for your videos. This is one of my absolutly most loved channels on YT. Even though the themes can be dark I feel in so good mood watching your short and informative videos and listening to your voice. Btw, it's not as much the "thermal conductivity" of water (and the ash, gas, water vapour and air of pyroclastic flows) that is the culprit when you come into contact with it that is the problem. It is the "heat capacity" of the material! Especially water (and its vopour) has a very high heat capacity and contains extreme amounts of heat, whereas dry air can be 120-140 degrees Celcius in a sauna without causing any harm. I don't know about pyroclastic flow, but I expect them to contain a lot of water wapour? Furthermore most rocks have quite high heat capacity too.

[@skybluskyblueify]

Did you see the recent article on an underwater pyroclastic flow covering trilobites that preserving some sort tissue? Raptor Chatter had/has a video about it up right now[7/6/24] called: The Trilobite Pompeii Preserves Soft Tissue . This is the first time I had any exposure to the concept of underwater pyroclastic flow (and what it can do to animals).

[@greenman6141]

At 0:53, a shot of the pyroclastic flow moving across the water, there is indeed a little boat visible. Not very far from the killer cloud.

[@iyoutome]

Beautiful coverage brother... great gratitude 🙏

[@kathysarmcandy1992]

Friggin cool.

[@newqlar]

That boat in the water must have had the fright of its life. Jeez…

[@ugnbugn]

Hey GH! Thanks for your excellent stream of genuinely fascinating videos. A question: I notice that Etna and Stromboli were erupting simultaneously for a period. Is there a connection between the two? Are they fed from a common lava chamber?

[@emperoremperor2481]

explained very well as I can tell

[@slickwilly87]

I'm currently stationed in Sicily, and would be grateful for a long form primer on Mt. Etna (comment 4 the algorithm)

[@manyhammers5944]

Sig and P3 squadron?

[@Fubetuck]

Fascinating!

[@petermc_grann4192]

Thank you for your continued high quality content! Can I ask about the broader complex geology that encompasses Stromboli and Etna? Both are currently erupting. Is there an association with the uplift at campei flegrei?

[@ifeelbetterabouthis.louis3]

Awesome

[@brianmsahin]

Wow !Excellent video. I saw a small eruption when I was near the top of Etna in 2006, not a huge one just some magma flow but not close enough to us. My real eruption experience was in 2003 in Ecuador when I was staying in Baños, Tungurahuade decided to erupt. We had to evacuate the backpacker hostel and over the roof we could see the plume. It was really incredible, ground shaking and you could hear the rumbling. I got some great photos too, one of the highlights of my round the world backpacking trip. Will never forget it.

[@gallucciart164]

No question, but thank you for this information. I was wondering about this very topic and if any flows occurred.

[@stevehammel2939]

Exceptional presentation...kudos!

[@wtfisthisp00]

Love this!

[@elainebradley8213]

Thankyou

[@maxhugen]

Interesting and educational video, thanks! Some good comments too... such as how the Leidenfrost effect increases the distance of the pyroclastic flow over water. 👍🇦🇺

[@rb368370]

Really interesting

[@swarm_into_singularity]

thank you.

[@foamslinger2787]

great info!

[@all3ykat79]

"Even though no one was hurt, they easily could have been, if they had hypothetically stood in the path of these two pyroclastic flows, even if they were present on a boat." That has got to be the funniest hypothetical I've ever heard. If I'm in the path of ANY pyroclastic flow, I'm not standing, that's for sure..

[@cbaten2]

I would be interested to see a map with the flows area in it. Although mostly these eruptions follow the 'Sciarra del Fuoco' , we encountered lots of recovering burnt bushes and hence poles on the slopes above St Vincenzo,/Stromboli Messina (may 2023). As we stayed a few days in a place close to COA Osservatorio St Vincenzo, we walked up and took the high path to the Osservatorio Restaurant through San Bartolo. The burn signs were mainly on the first part of the walk indicating a risk for the villagers. It seems there is no repetition in this eruption? Fun facts/vulcano watcher's blues: a few days later we watched the sun set over a very peaceful mount Etna from the overcrowded Taormina central square. I would have given a lot for being there 2 weeks later viewing the 2nd eruption of ETNA that month with clear view on the fireworks. Didn't have any luck either in Iceland (Reikjanes) 1 year to early or Big Island Hawaii (where I walked for hours on fresh lava fields without reaching the eruption of the day KIlauea). Still love volcanic landscapes, witnessed the Strombolic regular eruption machine up close. Then again, I am happy to have witnessed the sunrise on the top of a peaceful Mount Haleakalā and not the demise of the historic town of Lahaina and the resort hotel I was staying there at the time (by wildfires this time). So I hope Stromboli will behave and just erupt through the 'Sciarra del Fuoco' . BTW most informative, and therefore relevant, website ever. Thanks!

[@morgan1719]

about a million years from now, there's going to be some really cool opalized coral. Can't wait!

[@ianmcnulty799]

I was there two weeks ago! a major eruption at the same as Etna. This is crazy!

[@Zantigableiaust]

0:48 I thought I hear you say "If they had pathetically stood in the path of these two pyroclastic flows" when I turn on the cc, I know I was the wrong lol.. Thank you very much for the update, have a nice weekend:], greetings from Indonesia 👋..

[@mkeysou812]

I have a question... is there any chance a pyroclastic flow could envelop populated areas Pelée-style? It must be a terrifying place to live!

[@ImperatorSupreme]

On the island where this pyroclastic flow occurred there are two towns. So if a pyroclastic flow were to occur unexpectedly and in the wrong direction, it could definitely envelop a populated area and be a fatal event. There are quite a few volcanoes with populated areas nearby that could potentially suffer from this. Though fortunately volcanoes near populations are closely monitored, making unexpected events less likely.

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

That would not happen from either Stromboli or Etna because neither has an explosive tendency typical of the stratovolcanoes with higher silica levels in the magma. It is the higher silica levels that lead to a volcano vent getting clogged up and pressure building up due up to gas accumulation. Fortunately only a few volcanoes fit that metric. This doesn't mean that a volcano's magma composition won't change which it can leading to more viscous magma becomes potentially more explosive. But such a process takes quite a long time not relevant to a person's lifetime.

[@OpaSpielt]

​@ImperatorSupreme Yeah, less likely. But not impossible. That's why I wouldn't like to live there and would move away if I lived there. Coward, me.

[@GearGuardianGaming]

​@@michaeldeierhoi4096 everything you said there would be true if mount stromboli didnt sit in the middle of a massive caldera caused by an explosive eruption.😅😅

[@justinebautista1383]

Definitely. But it depends on the Volcano. Volcanoes like Taal or Sakurajima has a high chance of doing just that due to their magma composition and big eruption capability. Stromboli & Etna however not so much.

[@HollyLewallen-Smith]

Shared 🌋.

[@VTPSTTU]

Water expands at about 1700 to 1 when turning to steam at atmospheric pressure. I don't know how much heat capacity the flow has, but when it hits the water, some water will boil. That will add significantly to the volume. That was impressive to see.

[@biochem95]

Fantastic video. Your channel is legit. Thank you for all the work you put into these videos. I was wondering if you might be covering the 6+ magnitude earthquakes off the coast of Canada at some point?

[@HrZD16]

I was hoping to see a video on stromboli's latest activity after seeing you ask for the permission for the pyroclastic flow clip on twitter

[@Neobert5240]

Wow man!!🌋🌊💙🤙🤔🤫😇😎👍

[@ZZZZ-lt9os]

That pyroclastic flow is basically an Italian Geothermal Air Fryer...

[@lorrieannesilvey474]

I love your videos. I am thinking that this volcano needs some lessons from the Iceland volcano. .....😊

[@E_tha_N3rd]

I was just thinking of how fluffy and satifying the ash cloud looked (and wanting to touch it) and then you explained every reason not to... maybe next time lmao

[@tthappyrock368]

I can't tell on my device, but it looked like there might have been a boat ( or maybe just a bouy?) on the right side of the ocean picture. Must have been scary for the people in it it it was a boat! I'm amazed that tours are led up the cone given the frequency of it erupting!

[@Mike-r6y]

In 1981 we went through the Straits of Messina at night when Mt Etna was erupting

[@mary-kittybonkers2374]

Thank goodness the pyroclastic flow didn’t towards any settlements.

[@swainscheps]

More thermally conductive than water? Makes sense why they are such killers…Fascinating stuff GH. One thing I don’t get about the IR shot: the plume hit the water and expanded - but it appeared to suddenly get hotter, which would be the opposite of what I’d expect- Makes me think maybe the scale was relative, so that whatever was coolest in the scene was dark, whatever was warmest was white…so if the background changes from rock to water it gives the illusion that the plume heated in some absolute way… (One explanation might be the cooler outer material of the flow slowed and the hotter inner material got exposed suddenly…but that doesn’t feel right either) - anyway - if you don’t know the details of that color scale I’d be hesitant to draw conclusions from it.

[@mewberry2541]

Is it not safe to observe the volcano on the fire side then? I went last year and the tour boat was pretty far away but I noticed some other boats/ yachts were much closer.

[@NonnoNao]

Do you have a Leidenfrost effect upon contact between water and the pyroclastic flow?

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

The Leisenfrost effect occurs when water comes in contact with a solid surface with a temperature much higher than the boiling temperature of water and rides a a layer of vapor above the heated solid without boiling. A pyroclastic flow is super heated gas with a tiny percentage of solid matter thus the heat transfer to water is limited to forming a layer of steam on top of the water that the flow rides on. At least that is the explanation from another commenter though it does not address your question.

[@NonnoNao]

@@michaeldeierhoi4096 thank you for taking the time to answer

[@michaeldeierhoi4096]

@@NonnoNao You are most welcome!

[@haven216]

I'd like to see a video explaining pyroclastic flows. They are fascinating, but I don't understand them very well.

[@gregallan2842]

When the flow hits you become part of the flow. In bits.

[@SunkisOrange]

It looked bad ass 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😮😮

[@davidperry970]

That's what devastated Mt.St.Helens in 1980.

[@speedandstyletony]

The last stromboli I had erupted when I bit into it, luckily it wasn't as hot as this one!

[@crowonawirehome]

Question: Could you explain the geographic motion and subduction that causes this volcano?

[@peterh5485]

Stromboli being so active, how much height does it gain a year, and compared to other active volcanoes, such as Fuego and Sakurajima?