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World Geographical Location

World Map Location

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Continental Location

Continental Location of Italy

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Location of Pompeii

Map Location of Pompeii

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Interaction of Tectonic Plates

Somma Vesuvius Complex

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Caldera

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Stratovolcano

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Prior to 79 A.D.
Minor earthquakes occurred regularly
62AD : Powerful Earthquake
Originating below Mount Vesuvius
Lasted for 2 days
Damage to surrounding infrastructure

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Eruption of 79 A.D.
Mount Vesuvius infamous eruption
Destroyed settlements within a 10 15 km radius
Buried Pompeii, Herculaneum, and several others
2 stages:
Plinian Phase
Pelan Phase
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Plinian Phase

Named after Pliny the Younger

Wrote the only eyewitness
account of the eruption
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Plinian Phase
Eruption formed a column
Reached a height of
32km
Resembled a tall
umbrella pine tree
Released pumice and ash
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Plinian Phase
Prevailing winds dispersed the deposits
towards the south east region
Lasted approximately 20 hours
Pumice buried Pompeii 2.5m deep
Weight of the pumice collapsed buildings
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Pelan Phase
Pyroclastic Flow

Pyroclastic Surge

Denser mixture (larger fragments)

Less dense mixture (gas & fine

ash)

Only affected the closer cities

(Herculaneum)

Speeds reaching 100km/hr

Temperatures reaching

Temperatures reaching 350C

500C

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Ash distribution and pyroclastic flow

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Comparisons
Pompeii

Herculaneum

Plinian phase:
Fall of pumice causes collapse of
structures

Plinian phase:
Light ash fall causes citizens to flee.

Pelan phase:
Heat causes deaths of citizens, ash
fall causes formation of body casts

Pelan phase:
Pyroclastic surge reaches
Herculaneum but not Pompeii
Carbonisation, vaporisation of
organic matter

About 2000 body casts found

About 300 skeletons found

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Aftermath
Change in the coastline and course of the Sarno River
Preservation of both Pompeii and Herculaneum
(Tephra and Tuff)
Formation of body casts in Pompeii but skeletons in
Herculaneum

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Rediscovery
1748 Artifacts excavation for Bourbon King Charles III
19th Century Under the French control of Naples
Development of use of plaster casts

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Guard Dog

Crouching Man Body Cast

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Skeletons found near the seashore

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The Ring Lady

Vesuvius Observatory

National Institute of Geophysics and

Volcanology
Monitoring of seismic activity and
volcanic phenomena.

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Vesuvius Observatory during 1841

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Seismic Activity
Mount Vesuvius experiences numerous small
earthquakes, along with volcanic tremors and ground
deformations.
The scientific community carries out proper analysis
and interpretation on these seismic activities to ensure
protective measures during an eruption.
Seismic monitoring networks ware installed to record
and store seismic data of the volcanic region.
The seismic network of Mt. Vesuvius was the first of
its kind to be implemented for volcano monitoring.
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Monitoring Systems
With the help of geomatics, the institute analyze and manage
spatial data
Remote sensing and GIS are also applied to monitor the
volcanic area.

Satellite images of Mt. Vesuvius

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Advancement
in the
Scientific
Community

Significance
of Pompeii

Economical
Aspect

Understanding
of History

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