Tourists in Italy have been treated to quite the show as Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna, has been spewing spectacular “smoke rings” into the sky since last week.
The unusual phenomenon, known as a “volcanic vortex ring,” is caused by a combination of rapid outgassing and the shape of a vent erupting from a new crater that opened Tuesday at the summit of Mount Etna, according to the Associated Press.
Photos and videos show the volcano spewing out rings like a chimney.
“Etna is breaking all previous records,” Boris Behnke, a volcanologist at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Catania, explained in a Facebook post. “Late in the afternoon of April 2, 2024, a small mouth opened on the northeast rim of the southeast crater, producing glowing plumes of gas. By the next morning, it was clear that these vents were producing an astonishing amount of steam. The operation has been going on ever since and has already released hundreds, if not thousands, of beautiful rings. ”
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Rings often emerge from Mount Etna, making it look like a chimney. (Aetna Walk via AP)
Behnke said no volcano on Earth produces as many rings of steam as Etna.
“Even if a volcano has the ability to create smoke rings, strong winds prevent them from forming,” the Daily Mail reported.
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The ring is not smoke, but rather “an unusual phenomenon caused by a combination of rapid gas release and the shape of the vent,” the Associated Press said. (Aetna Walk via AP)
According to FOX Weather, Mount Etna erupts frequently, most recently in November 2023, when the volcano sent fountains of lava into the air and caused a loud thud.
“Mount Etna, located in the coastal city of Catania, is the largest of Italy’s three active volcanoes and the largest active volcano in Europe, according to the European Space Agency,” the newspaper said.
A volcanic vortex ring can be seen above Mount Etna in Italy. (Aetna Walk via AP)
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There were no reports of any disruption to surrounding villages or Catania Airport as a result of the smoke ring. Large eruptions often result in airport closures.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
