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Italy · Caldera

Mount Olibano

Campi Flegrei

Type
Caldera
Elevation
458m
Last eruption
1538
Mount Olibano
Photo: Denghiù · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Caldera
Country
Italy
Region
Europe / Italian Peninsula Volcanic Provinces
Elevation
458m
Coordinates
40.827, 14.139
Last eruption
1538
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Caldera
Major rock type
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Geological summary

Campi Flegrei is a 13-km-wide caldera that encompasses part of Naples and extends to the south beneath the Gulf of Pozzuoli. Episodes of significant uplift and subsidence within the dominantly trachytic caldera have occurred since Roman times. The earliest known eruptive products are dated 47,000 years BP. The caldera formed following two large explosive eruptions, the massive Campanian ignimbrite about 36,000 BP, and the over 40 km3 Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) about 15,000 BP. Following eruption of the NYT a large number of eruptions originated from widely scattered subaerial and submarine vents. Most activity occurred during three intervals: 15,000-9,500, 8,600-8,200, and 4,800-3,800 BP. The latest eruptions were in 1158 CE at Solfatara and in 1538 CE when the Monte Nuovo cinder cone was built.

From Wikipedia

The Phlegraean Fields is a large volcanic caldera west of Naples, Italy. The Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruption produced just 50 cubic kilometers. It is, however, one of relatively few volcanoes large enough to form a caldera. It is part of the Campanian volcanic arc, which includes Mount Vesuvius, about 9 km east of Naples. The Phlegraean Fields is monitored by the Vesuvius Observatory. Part of the city of Naples is built over it. The Phlegraean Fields' largest known eruptions have an estimated volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 7. It is often called a supervolcano in popular media, although the accepted definition for that term is a volcano that has had an eruption with a VEI of 8, the highest level.

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Eruption history

20 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
8480 BCE~8146 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 48146 BCE~7812 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 37812 BCE~7478 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?6810 BCE~6476 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 46476 BCE~6142 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?3137 BCE~2803 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?2803 BCE~2469 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 42469 BCE~2135 BCE · 4 eruptions · max VEI 52135 BCE~1801 BCE · 4 eruptions · max VEI 41801 BCE~1467 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4870~1204 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 11204~1538 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 38480 BCE6142 BCE3471 BCE1133 BCE1204

Detailed timeline

  1. 1538VEI 3Observed
    1538-09-29 – 1538-10-06
    Monte Nuovo
  2. 1198VEI 1Observed
    1198 – end unknown
    Solfatara
  3. 1650 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    1650 BCE – end unknown
    Fossa Lupara (Monte Senga)
  4. 1870 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    1870 BCE – end unknown
    Astroni
  5. 2000 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    2000 BCE – end unknown
    Averno
  6. 2040 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    2040 BCE – end unknown
    Solfatara
  7. 2080 BCE (±75 yrs)VEI 2Geological estimate
    2080 BCE – end unknown
    Monte Olibano-Accademia
  8. 2150 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI 5Geological estimate
    2150 BCE – end unknown
    Agnano Monte Spina
  9. 2220 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    2220 BCE – end unknown
    Eastern NYT caldera
  10. 2330 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    2330 BCE – end unknown
  11. 2440 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    2440 BCE – end unknown
    Agnano-Monte Sant'Angelo
  12. 2500 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    2500 BCE – end unknown
    Cigliano
  13. 2580 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    2580 BCE – end unknown
  14. 2890 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    2890 BCE – end unknown
    East part of NYT caldera
  15. 6300 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    6300 BCE – end unknown
    N part of NYT caldera (San Martino)
  16. 6490 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    6490 BCE – end unknown
    Eastern part of NYT caldera
  17. 6650 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    6650 BCE – end unknown
    Fondi di Baia, Sartania
  18. 7590 BCE (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    7590 BCE – end unknown
    NE part of NYT caldera
  19. 7980 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    7980 BCE – end unknown
    Soccavo, Minapoli, Pisani & other vents
  20. 8480 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    8480 BCE – end unknown

Nearby volcanoes

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.