Somma and Mount Vesuvius

We present here a few figures illustrate how the height of Mount Vesuvius: 1749 1160 m February 1846:1193 1847:1240 m m August 1810 1249 "March 1846:1196" 1850-1291 "1822 1269" July 1846:1219 "1855:1286" 1832 1140 "January 1847:1222" 1855:1234 "1845 1182" March 1847:1237 '1868:1297' After measuring, produced in 1822, there was a strong eruption, the upper part of the cone collapsed, and Vesuvius on par with Somme. Thereafter, as shown by measurements of Amati, made over forty years, Vesuvius is gradually growing. Eruption in 1855 lowered it to 60 meters, then the cone again went narostat and in 1868 reached a great height. During the disaster struck again in 1872 newly-vertex. Thus, during the time when the measurements, the cone of Vesuvius exceeded the Somme, where the height of 1,110 m, but sometimes, for example. during eruptions in 1631 and the second in 1737, collapsed a huge part of Mount Vesuvius, which he did following the Somme. Since the destruction of Pompeii to the XVII century. There were eight eruptions, separated by long periods of complete rest. It is noteworthy that during breaks erupts Flegreyskih neighboring fields and Ischia island: in 1198 acted Solfatara from Pozzuoli, in 1302 Monte Epomeo on Ischia. In 1538 abundant volcanic rocks and ash from Pozzuoli erected a cone of Monte Nuovo, in 1139 till the 1631 Vesuvius was inactive, and only in 1500 to a low degree spewed ash. Eruption of Vesuvius occurred in 203, 472, 512, 685, 993, 1036, 1139 and 1500-m years. Proceedings of them are extremely scarce and of little interest. It is only necessary to mention the enormous distances at which was blown by the wind, according to Pro-Copy, volcanic ash: in 472, he fell in Constantinople, and during another eruption (512 year?), Even in Tripoli, on the African coast . For nearly five centuries inviolable peace to XII to XVII century Vesuvius covered with vegetation, and in the crater sported a thick grove of oaks and alders; only fumaroles (volcanic fumes) and three pools, partly with the hot, partly with salt and bitter water, reminiscent of previous activities ; was the end of 1631, but nobody thought it was the eve of most terrible catastrophe. For several days it was a harbinger of underground noise, on the northwest side of a crack from which the escape length of the pair; opened a crater, but people do not pay attention to these things and not waiting for the terrible disaster. The evening of 15 December 1631 an earthquake, at first weak and then stronger and stronger. During the night, until five o'clock next morning happened twenty blows. Before sunrise, there was a terrible roar, and the south side of Mount Vesuvius, slightly above the atrio del Cavallo, a crack, steam, ash and stones broke with terrible force, and in a few moments of the mountain soared into the air. Appeared pinieobraznoe cloud; quickly spread wide, it is clouded sozhtse. At eleven o'clock ash rain fell in Basilicata, in two hours - in Tarentum, the morning of 17 th he was brought in Dalmatia in Cattaro, as before, the 16 th fell on the deck of the ship in the Gulf of Volo, in Fessolii. Huge boulders were blown away, one of which fell into the 12 miles from Mount Vesuvius, and pierced the roof of the cellar; flaming mass rushes down everywhere and made a fire in a field, Palme, JIaypo, Ottayyano and other places. All the way to Calabria and Puglia occurred violent earthquakes. But the horrors reached its apogee only on December 18. After an unusually strong earthquake tore a huge crater of lava flow, he crashed on a lot of hoses and during some hours reached the sea. Died 3000. One thread is destroyed Bosco and Torre dell Annunziata, the other - most of the Torre dell Greco, a third - Portici and rubber. All these flows continued to move into the sea for several hundred meters. The fourth stream, based on newly discovered documents, has spread to the mass di Somma, San Seba styano and to Santa Anastasia, on the northwestern slope of Mount Vesuvius. He came out of the Raven Grotto (Grotta de Corvi) at the Somme and has spread to the Pomigliano Arc. Striking of all was that once a lava from the crater poured huge amounts of water they were carrying a seaweed, shells and even fish. The phenomenon was repeated 18 th, 20 th, 24 th and December 31 (?). In recent days, after the terrible rains and fierce storms again earthquakes and volcanic ash, then the volcano calmed down. 19 December darkness produced piles of ashes should be scattered, and at this time you may have noticed that a significant portion of the volcano collapsed, before the disaster, he exceeded the Somme on 40 meters, but now it was below 130 m, hence its height is lowered by 170 m . After this terrible disaster in the next few years several more eruptions. From 1638 to 1660 of the volcano is at rest. Year 1660 marked a new large eruption, and since Vesuvius is almost continuous activity. It is hardly possible to specify one decade, which would not have been marked by disaster. Strong and weak eruptions followed each other. In 1734, collapsed into the abyss of a large part of the mountain. Eruption in 1794, significant in itself, especially attracts our attention, thanks to the excellent description of Leopold von Buch. Here's what he says about this threatening phenomenon: 'Of all the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, only two can catch up on their terrible force of the eruption in 1794 destroyed the first Germulanum and rich coastal city of Pompeii, and changed the position of the coastline. The second occurred in 1631 Numerous fire rushed to the river towns, situated at the foot of the volcano. Lush gardens were destroyed, and almost half the population died from the fire. Both the eruption occurred after a long rest, when some of the surrounding population disappeared recollection of the destructive power that was hidden in the bowels of the mountain. More recently, the volcano almost annually in new and majestic forms showed its activity, and almost all of the residents had witnessed the terrible devastation produced by the eruption. But it was enough to two-year dormant volcano, which is not even steamed, and careless people forgot about Vesuvius. Suddenly, the night of June 12, at 1172 hours, there was a terrible earthquake. From morning to night throughout the campaign varied land, like sea waves; Neapolitans fled from their homes in the area of ??the Royal Castle, Market, Della Pine. In the first moments they thought that their homes are destroyed, and the fear of waiting for the morning. When the sun rose, they saw that the usual tranquility is not disturbed, it became clear that the danger facing the southern parts of the kingdom, from which proceeded all the horrors of the previous night. But the error was discovered soon. Three days later, June 15, and midnight, the earth shook again. This was not a wave-like motion, and the scary underground hit. Buildings crack, windows rattled and struggled, falling furniture. Suddenly the whole sky lit up with red flames and glowing vapor. At the foot of the cone of Vesuvius a crack, and rooftops could be seen as the lava flew out, describing the air parabolic arc. He could hear the muffled, but loud noise like the roar of a waterfall, of falling into a deep valley. Gore, still, hesitating, and a quarter hours of the earthquake spread to the city. With such force lava never struggled. People do not feel under a solid ground, the air was engulfed in flames raced anywhere scary, never heard sounds. Horror-struck, people rushed into the church, at the feet of the saints, clutched the image of the crosses, and many a wild confusion, rushing through the city, filling the air with cries. But nature has not listened to the pleas: new holes have appeared in a volcano, and with a tremendous roar and ripped out the new lava flows. Smoke, flames and a pair of rose above the clouds and spreads in all directions in the form of an immeasurably huge pines. After midnight, stopped a continuous hollow sound, the earth stopped shaking, and the mountain range, lava burst from the crater near shocks, which are quickly followed each other and were accompanied by threatening rumble, like thunder. Countless great stones were raised at a terrible height, fire and black clouds of smoke flying behind them. Explosions followed by less frequent, but their power is doubled: the mountain looked like a battery of guns, firing volleys. After midnight, on the other side of the volcano, the sky suddenly lit up with bright light. Lava performing the devastation of the south side of the mountains, rushed along the northern slopes of a broad valley, where lay the old lava. It flows raged in the forests located at the entrance to the valley, were distributed in less shelving space, there flowed slowly and three days later froze before reaching the homes.