Campi Flegrei

Source-This post on  Campi Flegrei  has been created based on the article “Campi Flegrei: Volcanic crater near Naples hit with strongest earthquake in decades” published in “Yahoo” on 29 May 2024.

Why in News?

Recently, the most powerful earthquake in decades struck the Campi Flegrei supervolcano region of Italy.

About Campi Flegrei

1. Campi Flegrei, also known as Phlegrean Fields which is an active volcanic area situated near Naples, Italy. Campi Flegrei does not consist of a single volcano but is a complex volcanic system featuring multiple centers within a large caldera.

2. One third of it is located beneath the Tyrrhenian Sea, situated between mainland Italy and the island of Sardinia.

3. The caldera spans approximately 12-15 km (7.5-9.3 miles) in diameter. It was formed around 39,000 years ago following a massive eruption that depleted its magma chambers.

4. It is recognized as the largest active caldera in Europe. Campi Flegrei surpasses Vesuvius in size and activity level.

5. Its last eruption occurred in 1538, which was relatively minor but resulted in the creation of Monte Nuovo, a new mountain.

6. It is classified as a supervolcano which is capable of producing eruptions with global consequences.

About supernova

1. A supervolcano is a volcano that has had an eruption with a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 8, which is the largest recorded value on the index.

2. The volume of deposits for such an eruption is greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers (240 cubic miles).

UPSC Syllabus: World geography