April 30th, 2012 Category: Volcanoes

Italy - April 28th, 2012

Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. Here, it appears as a dark brown circle ringed by green and then surrounded by the grey and tan expanse of Naples and its metropolitan area.

It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years. Although it is not currently erupting, Vesuvius is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3,000,000 people living nearby and its tendency towards explosive (Plinian) eruptions. It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world.

Tags: Italy Mount Vesuvius Naples | Comments |

July 7th, 2010 Category: Lakes, Rivers, Sediments, Volcanoes

Italy - June 30th, 2010

Clouds hang over the Apennine Mountains, the mountain chain running down the backbone of the Italian Peninsula. Other areas, such as the valley of the River Po to the north, are unobscured.

In the full image, sediments spilling from the Po Delta tinge the waters of the Adriatic Sea a greenish color. Sediments can also be seen north of the delta, in the Venetian Lagoon and Gulf of Venice.

On the western side of the peninsula, the cities of Naples, near Mount Vesuvius, and Rome, near Lake Bracciano, appear as greyish brown areas by the coast. Two other lakes can be observed near Rome: Lake Bolsena (northwest of Lake Bracciano) and Lake Trasimeno (greenish blue).

Tags: Gulf of Venice Italy Naples River Po Rome | Comments |

May 17th, 2010 Category: Volcanoes

Italy - April 28th, 2010

The city of Naples (Italian: Napoli), capital of the region of Campania in southern Italy, is visible along the coast of the Bay of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the lower part of this image. Above, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, the Gargano Peninsula can be seen as well.

Naples is located halfway between two volcanic areas, the volcano Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields. Mount Vesuvius (Italian: Monte Vesuvio) is a stratovolcano located about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. Here, white clouds hover above its peak.

Tags: Adriatic Sea Bay of Naples Campania Europe Gargano Peninsula Italy Monte Vesuvio Mount Vesuvius Naples Napoli Phlegraean Fields Tyrrhenian Sea Volcanoes | Comments |

March 20th, 2010 Category: Image of the day, Volcanoes

Italy - February 18th, 2010

Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano east of Naples, Italy, visible in the lower right quadrant of this orthorectified image. It is on the coast of the Bay of Naples, about nine kilometres (six miles) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore.

It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years. It is best known for its eruption in AD 79 that led to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and the death of 10,000 to 25,000 people.

It has erupted many times since and is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3,000,000 people living nearby and its tendency towards explosive (Plinian) eruptions. It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world.

Tags: ASAR Bay of Naples Italy Mount Vesuvius Naples Orthorectification Pompeii | Comments |