Geological Magazine

Table of Contents - November 1994 - Volume 131, Issue 06  

Articles

The volcanic history of the southwestern part of the city of Naples

Paul D. Colea1 p1, Annamaria Perrottaa1 and Claudio Scarpatia1

a1 Dipartimento di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Università di Napoli ‘Federico II’, Largo San Marcellino 10, 1-80138 Napoli, Italy

Abstract

The southwestern part of Naples was the site of small volume volcanic activity prior to 12000 y B.P. Lava domes and possibly a lava flow were erupted during the earliest period. Explosive activity followed and produced pyroclastic sequences that are the proximal deposits of tuff cones within the city and at its southwestern extreme. The explosive activity was complex but predominantly phreatomagmatic. As the volcanic activity more than 12000 y B.P. in western Campi Flegrei shows a similar evolution from effusive to explosive, it is suggested that a large volcanic field ‘Paleoflegrei’, encompassing the western part of the city of Naples, existed prior to emplacement of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff. The Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruption about 12000 y B.P., from a vent in Campi Flegrei, produced widespread deposits up to 150 m thick that blanketed the area of the city of Naples, although the present day topography is strongly influenced by the pre-Neapolitan Yellow Tuff centres. Following the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff a small explosive eruption occurred in the bay of Chiaia, immediately south of the city, and results in the possibility of future eruptions within the city of Naples, outside the confines of Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius.

(Received August 31 1993)

(Accepted May 23 1994)

Correspondence:

p1 Present address: University of London Observatory, University College London, Mill Hill Park, London NW7 2QS, UK

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