Stromboli Volcano

Stromboli Volcano showed signs of activity in early July 2006.

On July 2, 2006, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) flying onboard NASA’s Terra satellite detected a <span class="jargon">hotspot</span> on the volcanic island of Stromboli. A hotspot, shown here as a red outline, is an area of elevated surface temperatures. Nearby landmasses shown in this image include the islands of Salina, Lipari, and Vulcano, along with portions of Sicily and mainland Italy. The fairly light color of the ocean water results from <span class="jargon">sunglint</span>, when the Sun’s light bounces off the water’s surface and into the satellite sensor. This image caught a period of relatively minor activity for the temperamental Stromboli Volcano.

Stromboli is a <span class="jargon">stratovolcano</span> composed of layers of hardened volcanic ash, rocks, and lava flows. Nicknamed the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean,” Stromboli has long attracted tourists with its nighttime eruptions. Stromboli Online provides a photo gallery of some of the volcano’s more spectacular eruptions.

Metadata

  • Sensor

    Terra/MODIS

  • Start Date

    2006-07-02

  • Event Start Date

    2006-07-02

  • NH Image ID

    13693

  • NH Event ID

    11042

  • NH Posting Date

    2006-07-06