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Cava Asero Lava Flow

The ancient "Cava Asero" is an old quarry of lava stone extraction, now in disuse, found in the district Dagala dell'Ascino, north of the town of Nicolosi, Italy. This is a wonderful place to admire the stratification of ancient lava flows produced by the Etna Volcano and recent ones as well, such as the flow resulting from an eruption in 2001. The European Union financed the restoration of a natural path that leads to the front of this recent flow.

Seen from a height of 820 ft (250 m), using a small drone, it’s possible to see Cava Asero’s characteristic heart shape. Note this formation is approximately 1,115 ft (340 m) in breadth. Photo taken on December 14, 2021.

Nicolosi, Italy Coordinates: 37.6175, 15.0241

Panoramic View of Etna and the Winter Solstice

Long ago, ancient civilizations observed the path of the Sun through the sky varied depending on the time of year. Instead of remaining uniform across the year, the Sun’s daily solar angle for a given location on the Earth correlates with the seasons. This solar trend occurs annually while the Sun’s angle above the horizon gradually increases throughout the spring before reaching its maximum point in summer when its ascent appears to stop. The reverse trend is true as the Sun’s path decreases throughout autumn before reaching an annual minimum daily angle in winter when its decent again appears to stop.

This stopping in Latin is called "sol sister" meaning "stopping of the sun", hence the name solstice. Over the course of the year, this difference in daily solar angle horizon also affects the length of the day, which results in shorter days and longer nights in winter and vice versa in summer. Therefore, the day of the winter solstice will correspond to the minimum duration of the day and the maximum duration of the night. The solstice occurs at a very precise moment and in 2021 that moment was December 21st at 4:59 PM local time, with a day length of 9 hours and 35 minutes. At 8:58 AM on December 21, the panoramic image shown above was taken with a 180° view. The photo shows the view from Nicolosi, featuring the snow-capped volcano Etna with the Sun to the east (to the right of the image), and the Moon just below the horizon to the west, in a diametrically opposite position. Solstice day is an opportunity to shoot both celestial bodies in the sky, either with a panoramic photo or with a fisheye lens.

Nicolosi, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.617, 15.024

Vortex Clouds Around Mount Etna

The photo above shows Mount Etna, one of the tallest and most active volcanoes in Europe, producing a spectacular cloud vortex from its eruption plumes. Etna frequently produces eruptive columns formed by volcanic ash, magma fragments and gas- which is also known as tephra- mixed additionally with water vapor. The force of this vertical jet is a product of the accumulated pressure from the eruption. Remarkably, the plumes can rise for miles in the atmosphere and often reach the stratosphere. In addition to their astounding height, the eruptive columns can also achieve very high temperatures and become incredibly dense. Sometimes these columns can be observed near Etna vapor clouds and darker clouds of tephra, which can precede one another and at times even overlap or merge together. The result of this interaction can be spectacular and occasionally vortices have been observed that connect between the two formations. These vortices are likely formed because of the temperature gradient between the hot eruption column and comparably colder clouds. In the picture you can see these connections between the two types of clouds.

Earth Science Picture of the Day - extra

EPOD EXTRA
From: Rosario Catania
Image Description: Planetary scenarios, with the erupting volcano Etna and the conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn. Photo taken at 17.40 on 14.12.2020

Drone Image Over Mount Etna

The photo above was taken with my drone during sunset on the cold evening of January 16, 2022. The Moon had already risen in the east, which made for a beautiful diametrically opposed view with the Sun. Splitting the two in the photo is Mount Etna, majestic and white with snow. This drone photo was taken in sphere mode and was subsequently planarized to have a diagonal 180-degree view without deformation. Besides the Sun and Moon, what left me breathless was the sharp contrast between the dramatic sky and the Earth colored by the intense red of a clear and cold sunset. An emotion to share with the whole world.

Nicolosi, Parsifal Park, Sicily Coordinates: 37.6426, 14.9944

Eastern Flank of Mt. Etna

The photo above shows Mt. Etna as seen in its eastern guise, above its ancient eruptive centers. The majestic Valle del Bove (foreground) is a wide basin more than 3,280 ft (1,000 m) deep, 3 miles (5 km) wide and 4 miles (7 km) long. This depression, dating back between 7 and 10 thousand years, was caused by the collapse of these eruptive centers.

On the left of the photo, visible in the distance, is the city of Catania, with the Ionian Sea extending southward, and on the right is the coast of Calabria (mainland of Italy).

During eruptions over the past 30 years, millions of cubic meters of lava have poured from this stratovolcano into the Valle del Bove Bove, which was once rich in vegetation and cultivated fields. Etna, a natural laboratory par excellence, has been a World Heritage Site since 2013. Photo taken on June 2, 2022.

Zafferana, Etnea Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.6897, 15.1053

Nature Reclaims Lost Shoe

The picture above shows a lost shoe in the woods near the Etna volcano. As is happening above, nature always reclaims the spaces that belong to her. It’s just a matter of time before plants and organisms begin to grow and utilize the discarded items on the forest floor. Commonly found on fallen trees and rocks, moss is considered both a producer and decomposer since it typically helps breaking down items into available nutrients. This work has a larger significance within the lifecycle of ecosystems because it makes nutrients available for surrounding organisms.

Now in perfect camouflage, time for the shoe pictured above will pass, but it will devour its contents. A time that for our existence means a lot, but in the cycle of nature is only a flash.

Bronte, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.7883, 14.8307

Omega Sunrise Over Catania, Italy

Shown above is a beautiful photo of a summer sunrise taken near Catania, Sicily, Italy in 1990. The photo features the omega effect of the Sun, which is an inferior mirage phenomenon created when a layer of warm air is directly above the sea surface. As sunlight nears the warm air above the ocean surface, it is refracted back upwards to create a mirage. This optical illusion causes the solar disk to appear displaced below its true position in the sky and makes the Sun appear like a Greek letter omega Ω (or an Etruscan Vase). The photo was taken using the bracketed exposure technique with a Pentax Z1P camera. The wide-field image portrays one of the many landings of migrants who cross the Sicilian Channel to reach the coast. You can also see the silhouette of a weigher on the shoreline. Always take proper precautions when viewing and photographing the Sun.

Photo Details: Pentax Z1P camera with manual focus zoom, flexible shuttle, and Kodachrome 64 film

Catania, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.5079, 15.0830

Mount Etna and Pillow Lava of Aci Castello

Shown above, at top, is a view of Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, Italy. Some 600,000 years ago, friction between the Eurasian and African plates, resulted in a long period of submarine volcanic activity that occurred beneath an extensive clayey layer. Manifestations of this activity can be seen today in the pillow lavas that form the cliffs of Aci Castello.

Pillow lava is formed by the escape of molten material below the sea surface. Following a sudden cooling of the lava’s surface, a thin, glassy crust (hyaloclastite) is created, facilitating the lava to divide into roundish blocks that overfold each other (bottom photo). Photos taken on May 17, 2009.

Mount Etna and Pillow Lava of Aci Castello

Mount Etna – Eruption Plume and Scattered Lapilli

The photos above show volcanic activity from March 2021 at Mount Etna (10,892 ft or 3,320 m) located in Sicily, Italy. A series of Strombolian eruptions here in February and March were some of the most energetic in the history of the Southeastern Crater. Over the course of March 4 – March 7, two short outbursts occurred causing lava fountaining and 5.5 to 7 miles (9 to 11 km) tall ash plumes (shown at left). Magma that is trapped below the volcano and is rising to the surface contains dissolved gases, which are released into the atmosphere during eruptions. The gigantic plume shown here is composed of volcanic gases, entrained air, and fragments of volcanic rock scientifically known as tephra. While the plume drifted, small pieces of tephra- called lapilli or little stones in Latin- were deposited on the landscape as far as 6 to 12.5 miles (10 to 20 km) away from Mount Etna. These lapilli are visible next to a plant emerging in the rich volcanic soil. Picture taken March 6, 2021.

Cloud-to-Ground Lightning

The photo above (at top) shows an attention-getting cloud-to-ground lightning strike as observed on April 4, 2020, from the balcony of my home (I live on the 14th floor) overlooking the city of Noida Extension, India. Luckily, I snapped this shot just as these bolts flashed from the sky. Note that the primary bolt, hitting the tower of a power plant, was powerful enough to light up much of its parent cumulonimbus cloud. Discharge from a strike like this one may approach 100 million volts. The bottom photo was captured during a storm in San Giovanni La Punta (Sicily), Italy.

Photo Details: Nikon D7100 camera; 50.0mm focal length; f/16; 11.5 seconds exposure; ISO 100; Adobe Photoshop 2020 Windows.

Clouds Plowed by the Wind

Featured here on this 360° panorama near Mt. Etna is a sky filled with eye-catching cirrocumulus clouds. Because these clouds are arranged in thin strips or in banks consisting of small whitish clusters, this type of sky is sometimes referred to as a "sheep-like sky." Cirrocumulus clouds form above about 20,000 ft (approximately 6,000 m) in the mid-latitudes and may herald the arrival of a warm front. They’re often used as an indicator that precipitation is on the way. Photo taken on September 20, 2023.

Parsifal Park, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.6426, 14.9944

July 7, 2024, Eruption of Mount Etna

Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano has four summit craters: The Voragine and Bocca Nuova craters, which were formed within the Central Crater in 1945 and 1968 respectively, the Northeast Crater, formed in 1911, and the Southeast Crater, formed in 1971. To date, because of recent deposits of erupted material, the Southeast Crater is the summit's highest peak at 11,014 ft (3,357 m) above sea level.

This configuration of craters contrasts sharply with that of about a century ago, when only the Central Crater stood atop Etna, but in recent decades the Southeast Crater has played a leading role in summit eruptions. From February 2021 to the present there have been as many as 50 summit eruptions from this crater.

Since July 2024, The Voragine Crater has been active again, with two episodes between July 4-5 and July 7, putting into the atmosphere a column of gas and dust that partly fell back on the mountain sides and partly on nearby population centers, creating much discomfort. However, the local people here are living with this reality where new crust is created that reshapes the land.

The photo collage above was captured on July 7, 2024. At top, the peak of the eruption shows a dense column of ash, dust and smoke beginning to drift toward the Ionian Sea. In the middle photo, the volcanic cloud covering the Sun results in magnificent twilight rays. The panoramic view at bottom was taken with a drone, filming the southern portion of the volcano. Note the dividing line between the rich Mediterranean vegetation and the volcanic desert.

Nicolosi, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.6174, 15.0242

Tree Roots and Grotta dei Tedeschi

On the slopes of Mount Etna is a lava flow cave known as Grotta dei Tedeschi in the Immacolatelle and Micio Conti Caving Complex. It stretches for about 490 feet (150 meters) and like many caves has large fallen rocks on its floor and narrow passages, but in the larger rooms it offers a unique spectacle.

Here it's possible to observe the bare roots of the oak forest that grow on the surface and, thanks to the fracturing of the volcanic rock, over decades have extended into the depths. They penetrate the surface vault of the cave until reaching the quarry area, pushing lower and lower to capture the moisture present inside the cave, which often reaches humidity values close to saturation (80-90 percent). Nature never ceases to amaze! The photo shows the roots, microdroplets of water and fog clouds, which stand out thanks to artificial lighting.

I thank for this expedition Cinzia Lo Certo, Giovanni Sturiale and Roberto Maugeri. Photo taken on January 9, 2024.

San Gregorio di Catania, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.56764, 15.1112

Mount Etna – Eruption Plume and Scattered Lapilli

Zeus - God of Lightning

his image was taken on the morning of September 7 near the Gulf of Catania and the city of San Giovanni la Punta, Sicily, Italy. Zeus (visible as a profile in the clouds to the right) has unloaded all his anger in the form of lightning and thunder after being envious of Capella who, despite everything, shone high in the sky!

Layers of Etna Eruptions

The layering shown above gives a glimpse into the history of Mt. Etna's many eruptions. Here, a quarry edge lays bare various stratifications of both ancient and recent flows.

Notice the red coloring of the 'ghiara', red earth (also known as rena rossa, agliara, agghiara), a material with a sandy appearance, sometimes mixed with lapilli, unctuous to the touch. These are sediments upon which lava flows have settled, baking them. In this geological sandwich, starting from the top we can see layers of slag, basalt, ghiara, basalt and ghiara at the bottom.

Photo above is 180° panorama taken with a drone above the built-up area of Nicolosi, (Sicily) Italy on January 21, 2023.

Nicolosi (Sicily), Coordinates: 37.6175, 15.0241

Sky Waves

A surf wave, one might say, were it not for the fact that it's a cloud formation (top photo), crumpled by a strong storm front that hit Sicily on May 20, 2023. A phenomenon as fascinating as it was ephemeral, it lasted just a few seconds as observed from the city of Catania. Note the mammatus clouds in the middle photo and the asperitas sky characteristics in the bottom photo. Magnificent skies indeed!

Catania, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.5079, -15.0830

Mount Etna Blanketed in Snow

On November 27, 2022, a mini fracture opened on the northern wall of the south-east crater of Mt. Etna. A harmless but touristy spectacle causing no concern, but emitting slowly advancing lava flows, inside Bove Valley (Valle del Bove). On January 10/11, 2023, a storm brought snow to higher elevations of Etna, presenting it as a wintertime wonderland. The photo above was taken shortly after dawn on the 11th. I was struck by a cloud that casts its silhouette over the south-east crater, putting it in shadow, while the sun illuminates the fresh snow, which lays bare the new lava flow.

Mt Etna Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.7510, 14.9934

Gas Ring Emitted from Mt. Etna

Important information on the state of magma inside a volcano comes to us from the gases ejected from craters and fumaroles. The photo at top shows a gas ring emitted on July 18, 2023, from a new crater shaft, which was formed between 16 and 17 July 2023, inside Etna's Bocca Nuova crater, itself formed in 1968.

The photo at center shows the ring that still bears the mark of the crater vent. A gas ring is formed when the gas accelerates in the vicinity of the mouth, after passing through the conduit with different velocities between the center and the rim (slowed down by friction with the walls themselves), assuming a swirling motion, which keeps the rotating gas compressed (ring) until it completely dissolves in the atmosphere.

During outgassing, water, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, chlorine, and fluorine compounds, as well as rare gases such as helium, neon and argon are all transported to the surface (bottom photo).

Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.7490, 14.9799