Sarah Huggins and Erin McLaughlin Mount Vesuvius Sarah Huggins and Erin McLaughlin
Mount Vesuvius Location: Italy Height:1,281 m Type: Stratovolcano Age of Rock: 25,000 years Major Eruption: 79 AD Last Eruption: 1944
Location Located in southwest Italy near the Bay of Naples Latitude: 40 degrees, 49 minutes North Longitude: 14 degrees, 26 minutes East
79 AD Eruption Earthquakes began on February 5, 62 AD Small earthquakes started on August 20, 79 AD Erupted on August 24, 79 AD Eruption lasted 19 hours
Damage from 79 AD Eruption Cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were covered in ash Ash from eruption reached as far as Africa Ash caused pestilence About 2,000 people were killed Excavation began in the 8th century by the order of Charles III
Other Eruptions 5960 BC and 3580 BC 1631 1794 1906 1913, 1926, 1929, 1944 There are no signs of unrest at the present time
Geology of Vesuvius Tephrite rocks Basaltic in character Contains the minerals: calcic plagioclase, augite, and nepheline or leucite
Other Facts Vesuvius rests on a subduction zone African plate is moving northward Slowly closing the Mediterranean Basin African plate is pushed beneath the Eurasian plate
Resources Microsoft Encarta, “Mount Vesuvius” 1993-2005 Microsoft Corporation http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volv_images/img_vesuvius.html http://vulcan.fis.uniroma3.it/vesuvio/79_eruptiontext.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius#Physical_aspects