World Geographical Location

World Map Location

Continental Location

Continental Location of Italy

Location of Pompeii

Map Location of Pompeii

Interaction of Tectonic Plates
Slab Window
Somma – Vesuvius Complex
Caldera
Stratovolcano
 Prior to 79 A.D.

 Minor earthquakes occurred regularly

 62AD : Powerful Earthquake

 Originating below Mount Vesuvius

 Lasted for 2 days

 Damage to surrounding infrastructure

 Eruption of 79 A.D.

 Mount Vesuvius’ infamous eruption

 Destroyed settlements within a 10 – 15 km radius

 Buried Pompeii, Herculaneum, and several others

 2 stages:
 Plinian Phase

 Peléan Phase
 Plinian Phase

 Named after Pliny the Younger

 Wrote the only eyewitness

account of the eruption

 Plinian Phase

 Eruption formed a column

 Reached a height of

32km

 Resembled a tall

umbrella pine tree

 Released pumice and ash

 Plinian Phase

 Prevailing winds dispersed the deposits

towards the south east region

 Lasted approximately 20 hours

 Pumice buried Pompeii 2.5m deep

 Weight of the pumice collapsed buildings

 Peléan Phase

 Pyroclastic Flow  Pyroclastic Surge

 Denser mixture (larger fragments)  Less dense mixture (gas & fine

 Only affected the closer cities ash)

(Herculaneum)  Speeds reaching 100km/hr

 Temperatures reaching  Temperatures reaching 350ºC

500ºC
Ash distribution and pyroclastic flow
 Comparisons

Pompeii Herculaneum
Plinian phase: Plinian phase:
Fall of pumice causes collapse of Light ash fall causes citizens to flee.
structures
Peléan phase: Peléan phase:
Heat causes deaths of citizens, ash Pyroclastic surge reaches
fall causes formation of body casts Herculaneum but not Pompeii

Carbonisation, vaporisation of
organic matter
About 2000 body casts found About 300 skeletons found
 Aftermath

 Change in the coastline and course of the Sarno River

 Preservation of both Pompeii and Herculaneum

(Tephra and Tuff)

 Formation of body casts in Pompeii but skeletons in

Herculaneum
 Rediscovery

 1748 – Artifacts excavation for Bourbon King Charles III

 19th Century – Under the French control of Naples

 Development of use of plaster casts

Guard Dog Crouching Man Body Cast
Above and bottom:
Body casts from
Pompeii
Skeletons found near the seashore The Ring Lady
 Vesuvius Observatory

 In Italy, the National Institute of

Geophysics and Volcanology is
responsible for the nationwide
monitoring and maintenance of
seismic activity and volcanic
phenomena across the country.

 Established in 1841 by King

Ferdinand II
 Oldest volcanology observatory in
the world
Vesuvius Observatory during 1841
 Seismic Activity

 Every year, Mount Vesuvius experiences numerous small

earthquakes, along with volcanic tremors and also ground
deformations.

 Vesuvius observatory along with the rest of the scientific community

carries out proper analysis and interpretation on these seismic
activities to ensure protective measures during an eruption.

 Seismic monitoring networks were installed to record and store

seismic data of the volcanic region.

 The seismic network of Mt. Vesuvius was the first of its kind to be
implemented for volcano monitoring.

 In 1856, the very first electromagnetic seismometer was introduced.

 Monitoring Systems

 With the help of geomatics, the institute analyze and manage

spatial data

 Remote sensing and GPS are also applied to monitor the

volcanic area.

Satellite images of Mt. Vesuvius

 Advancement
in the
Scientific
Community

Significance
of Pompeii

Understanding Economical
of History Aspect