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Etna update, 9 May 2011

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A Strombolian explosion from the pit crater on the east flank of the Southeast Crater cone produces a small puff of volcanic ash at 06.00 h (local time = GMT+2) on 9 May 2011. Photo taken by Boris Behncke (INGV-CT) from Trecastagni, on the southeast flank of the volcano

Strombolian activity at the Southeast Crater

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Strombolian explosion at the pit crater recorded by the Schiena dell'Asino monitoring camera of the INGV-Catania at 20.32 (local time = GMT+2) on 8 May 2011

Four weeks after the latest paroxysmal episode, mild and discontinuous Strombolian activity has resumed at the pit crater located on the eastern flank of the Southeast Crater cone. This activity started on the morning of 8 May 2011, generating loud detonations that were audible to many kilometers away, such as the Monti Sartorius (northeast flank) and the town of Zafferana Etnea. After sunset, Strombolian explosions were seen to occur at intervals of 3-10 minutes, ejecting incandescent bombs up to a few tens of meters above the crater rim. During the night, some explosions threw bombs well beyond the crater rim, down to the base of the cone that has grown around the crater during the recent paroxysms.

On the morning of 9 May, the Strombolian explosions continued without significant variations. As of noon on 9 May, the seismic activity and volcanic tremor amplitude at Etna show no changes.