Geological Field Trips and Maps - vol. 1.1 2019

Volume 11 (1.1)/2019

Landslides, volcanism and volcano-tectonics: the fragility of the Neapolitan territory

Cities on Volcanoes 10 Meeting – Napoli 2018



Mauro A. Di Vito (1), Domenico Calcaterra (2), Paola Petrosino (2), Giovanni Zanchetta (3), Sandro de Vita (1), Enrica Marotta (1), Mario Cesarano (4), Antonio De Simone (4), Fabio Sansivero (1) & Ilaria Rucco (1)

(1) - Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Napoli Osservatorio Vesuviano, Naples, Italy.
(2) - Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse, Naples, Italy.
(3) - Università degli Studi di Pisa, Dipartimento Scienze della Terra, Pisa, Italy.
(4) - Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per l'Area Metropolitana di Napoli, Naples, Italy.

Abstract

Small landslides to large debris flows and debris avalanches affected the Neapolitan territory surrounding the active volcanoes of the area: Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei and Ischia. Their variable intensity explosive eruptions produced significant quantities of loose pyroclastic material on the slopes of the volcanoes and of the surrounding reliefs. Remobilization processes of this material occurred during and soon after large explosive eruptions, although their intensity and frequency decreased during inter-eruptive periods. The intensity of these processes varies with the different eruptions and is strongly dependent on availability of fine ash in proximal and distal areas. The areas involved varies from hundreds to millions square meters. The syn-eruptive debris flows of the Vesuvius 472 AD eruption are described in detail. Huge ground uplift of the central part of the Ischia resurgent caldera generated debris/rock avalanches, which likely caused tsunamis. Archaeological sites affected by syn-eruptive debris flows have been selected to show the effects of their deposition. Hydraulic risk and risk mitigation actions, emergency management and preparedness measures will be discussed in one of the areas mostly affected by recent debris flows. At Ischia the characteristics of debris/rock avalanches and lahars related to the resurgence and to the reactivation of volcanism will be discussed.

Keywords


open access