Solfatara (volcano)

Coordinates: 40°49′37″N 14°08′20″E / 40.827°N 14.139°E / 40.827; 14.139
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Solfatara
Campi Flegrei
Volcanic arc/beltCampanian volcanic arc
Last eruption1198[1]

Solfatara (

fumaroles and mud pools. The area is well known for its bradyseism
. The vapours had been used for medical purposes since Roman times.

This volcano is where the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus was first isolated. The archaeon is named for the volcano, as most species of the genus Sulfolobus are named for the area where they are first isolated.

Notable events

Saint Proculus (the patron saint of Pozzuoli) and Saint Januarius (the patron saint of Naples) were beheaded at Solfatara in 305.

In 2017, three people—an 11-year-old boy and his parents—died, when they fell into a chasm. Initial rumors that claimed that the boy had entered an off-limits area of the crater[2] were declared false by an eyewitness who had watched the scene unfold from her balcony.[3] According to the eyewitness, the family were on the official walking path, when the 11-year-old slipped into the unsecured chasm. His parents died in an attempt to save him. The only survivor was the boy's 7-year-old brother.

Gallery

  • Panoramic view of the crater towards the southeast
    Panoramic view of the crater towards the southeast
  • Close-up view of a mud pool
    Close-up view of a mud pool
  • Medium size fumarole in Solfatara
    Medium size fumarole in Solfatara
  • Biggest fumarole in Solfatara
    Biggest fumarole in Solfatara

See also

References

  • Kilburn, Chris; McGuire, Bill (2001). Italian Volcanoes (Classic Geology in Europe 1). Terra Publishing. pp. 174 pp. .