The Double Life of Stromboli: Italian Sandwich and Stratovolcano

Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea—which is a part of the Mediterranean Sea near Italy’s western coast— Stromboli is a small atoll in Italy which is legendary for its active volcano. The island of Stromboli has one of the three active volcanoes of Italy. In fact, two of its neighbors are Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna. The island is counted among the eight Aeolian Islands, also known as the Lipari Islands which are a volcanic
archipelago. The Aeolian Islands name was derived from the demigod (half god and half human) of the wind, Aeolus.

The Stromboli volcano itself derives its name from a besmirched ancient Greek word which was used to describe the circular, bulging, shape of the island, Strongule. The population of this volcanic isle varies between 450 and 725.

Stromboli is located on the cross section of the African and Eurasian Plates which places it on a subduction zone and directly above the two colliding tectonic plates. The terrain is thrust together from the merging boundaries, and then when the landmass forms a volcano, it drives the lava downward. Eventually, the volcano will become too pressurized and has no alternative but to explode, not unlike a pimple.

The length of time that this volcano has unremittingly erupted is one of the features that set Stromboli apart. Geologists propose that this volcano has maintained its pattern of eruption for the last 2100 years. In light of this pattern, systematic explosions and eruptions occurred at the zenith craters where luminous volcanic projectiles and temperate eruptions take place at interludes ranging from a few minutes to a few hours.
This unique volcanic activity attracts visitors worldwide.

The Stromboli volcano has exclusive flaming distinctive lava-flows which take place intermittently. For example, the last profuse eruption occurred in 2002 —after a period of 17 years. Prior to that, its last eruption was in 1930 from which copious destruction and death ensued. Aside from that, Stromboli has not been the cause of much damage, in spite of the fact that it has been active through most of its history.