GEOLOGICAL GENESIS OF ITALIAN EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOS 1

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY EARTHQUAKES IN ITALY? There are so many eartquakes in Italy because of its geological location, it shakes because of the movement of the tectonic plates, since the birth of the Earth, the Earth's Crust has been formed by tectonic plates, there are aproximately 60 plates, and two of the biggest, the Eurasian plate and the African plate are united in the Mediterranean, but other than those 60 plates, there exists what is called microplates, one of them is the Adriatic microplate, which is located right under Italy, and that is why there are so many earthquakes. 2

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The problem is that, the African plate is pushing the Eurasian plate and this creates a convergent movement, also, the Adriatic plate moves in the opposite direction and it is moving further away from the Eurasian plate. With the African plate pushing the Eurasian plate, and the divergent movement of the Adriatic plate, loads of earthquakes and volcanoes are created. 4

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THE EARTHQUAKE OF POMPEII The earthquake of Pompeii from the year 62 a.C. had a magnitude of between 5 or 6, and a maximum intensity of X or XI. The towns of Pomepii and Herculaneum were severely damaged and they think that this earthquake was the cause of the eruption of Vesuvius in the year 72 a.C. Which destroyed both citys. THE EARTHQUAKE OF POMPEII 6

TECTONIC PLATES AND VOLCANOS 7

WHAT IS A VOLCANO ? When an eruption occurs, the magma normaly is piled up in the crater and as the magma exits it submerges the area all around the volcano. Then the acumulated material of past eruptions, with the pressure of the reservoir of magma in the Earth's Crust, form an iconic mountain called “volcano”. 8

WHAT ACTIVE VOLCANOS EXIST IN ITALY ? VESUVIUS ETNA STROMBOLI VULCANO 9

VESUVIUS This volcano is the result of the colapse of a much bigger volacno, and it has an altitude of 1280 meters. It is located on the eastern coast of the golf of Naples, in the region of Campania. It is known throughout the whole world because of it's disasterous eruption, which in 79 a.C. completely destroyed the citys of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were found a few centurys later and that today can be visited in all it's particular atmosphere. It is considered Italy's most dangerous volcano. 10

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ETNA This volcano is situated in the North of the city of Catania, in the region of Sicily; it is one of the biggest volcanos in the world and the highest European volcano at 3000 meters of elevation. One of it's last biggest eruptions was in 2008, whith the escape of lava and ash. Other important eruptions which occured in the recent past was in 2002 which destroyed the town of Piano Provenzana and in 1969 which destroyed the nearby towns. 12

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Stromboli is one of the islands of the archipelago of the islands of Eolie, in the sea Tirreno. This volcano is known because it is constantly active, of materials and ash, of lava... that is why it is known as one of the most active volcanos in the whole world. STROMBOLI 14

VULCANO This is another island of the archipelago Eolie, and it's name originates from the Greek God Vulcano; later, the term was used for every mountain with a chance of eruption (volcanos). In the past it has been characterized because of its big phases of explosions. Today it is distinguished because of abundant gas and vapor. 15