Mt. Vesuvius
Europe's Only Active Mainland Volcano
Researchers used artificial intelligence to decipher an ancient scroll buried by Mount Vesuvius
Mt. Vesuvius is situated above the Bay of Naples in Campania, southern Italy
It remains the only active volcano in mainland Europe
Mount Vesuvius is categorized as a complex stratovolcano due to its eruption style
Pyroclastic flows from Vesuvius consist of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash, and volcanic gas
The 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius is infamous for obliterating the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum
It belongs to the Campanian volcanic arc, created by the African and Eurasian plates' convergence
This subduction zone gives rise to other volcanoes such as Mount Etna, the Phlegraean Fields, Vulcano, and Stromboli in Italy
A "slab window" has formed under Vesuvius due to the detachment of the lower part of the subducting slab
This detachment causes Vesuvius’ rocks to have a distinct chemical composition compared to other Campanian volcanoes