Scenario with tsunami off Italy's coast?
Largest volcano in Europe employs researchers
Created: 02/24/2022, 05:35
By: Franziska Schwarz
View of the Tyrrhenian Sea: The volcano "Marsili" is located in it.
©Panthermedia/Imago
Currently, "Marsili" is rumbling rather quietly.
Scientists advise, however, to prepare for a possible outbreak.
Munich - The volcanic eruption on La Palma is still well remembered.
The largest volcano in Europe, however, is under water.
Not like Etna or Vesuvius in Italy, but at least off its coast, specifically in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Marsili is his name.
The British
BBC
called him a "monster" in an article - because an eruption could trigger a "gigantic tsunami".
It has only been known to science for around 100 years.
According to the report, she has now started dating him in the past decade.
The estimated 3000 meter high volcano ends about 500 meters below the water surface.
Its coordinates: around 175 kilometers south of Naples and 150 kilometers west of Calabria.
This tweet shows Marsili's approximate location:
Largest volcano in Europe under water: "Danger from landslides"
In its report, the
BBC
quotes the volcanologist Guido Ventura (Rome) and the physicist Glauco Galotti (Bologna).
According to Ventura, Marsili is currently emitting "quiet rumbles", gaseous emissions and light earthquakes.
Nevertheless: Marsili could simply “sleep”.
In the event of an eruption, the lava would be intercepted by the 500-meter layer of water above it.
"But the danger is in the submarine landslides," says Ventura.
It is currently unclear whether Marsili really poses a threat and to what extent.
According to Gallotti, data is still missing.
He says caution is still required.
Recordings of micro-earthquakes would show that lava is still moving inside the volcano.
Underwater volcano off Italy's coast - possible scenarios
In 2021, Galotti's team therefore designed five possible scenarios.
In the worst case, the collapse of the summit and the east side of Marsili could lead to a 20 meter high wave that would reach Sicily and Calabria within 20 minutes.
And the south of Italy is very busy, especially in summer, because of the tourists, says Galotti.
His colleague Ventura agrees: "What is certain is that Marsili should be watched."
The researchers also want a system that automatically warns the population of tidal waves.
According to the BBC, a pilot project in Salerno, Italy, took a first step in this direction last year.
It simulated a tsunami emergency.
(frs)
