Campi Flegrei

Italy

SUMMARY:

Type: caldera
Activity: dormant
Last Eruption: 1538 AD
Rock Type: ?
Eruptive Volume: ? cu km
Location Map from Xerox PARC
Latitude: 40.83 N
Longitude: 14.14 E

GEOLOGIC HISTORY

Campi Flegrei is a caldera about 12-14 km across, located about 25 km W of Vesuvius and about 15 km WSW of Naples. The caldera formed after a large eruption 35,000 years ago that produced 80 cu km of dense rock. Several other eruptions of decreasing intensity have occurred since then; its most recent eruption was in 1538.

Historic Activity: Several dated pre-historic eruptions. Eruptions in 1198 and 1538. Campi Flegrei has been the site of slow vertical movements since at least Roman times. A slow subsidence had occurred since the last eruption in 1538. An uplift that was observed in 1970 continued until 1972 without significant seismic activity. Slow oscillations of the ground were observed between 1972 and 1982.

Recent Activity:

  • Between June 1982 and January 1985 a 180 cm of uplift occurred. Associated seismic activity resulted in extensive damage to old buildings.
  • Beginning in January 1985 subsidence began at the rate of about 1 cm/month and continued thru mid-1987. The record then became more oscillatory and some uplift episodes were observed in the general deflationary trend.
  • From mid-1987 to the beginning of 1989 a decrease in the rate of subsidence was observed, and a net uplift of 7.2 cm was measured from January to June of 1989.

Data Sources

  • Smithsonian's SEAN Bulletin (V. 9, No. 1 to V. 14, No. 6)
  • Global Volcanism Network (V. 22, No. 11 and V. 24, No. 10).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

2/12/00