Video page: the paroxysm at full power 27 July 2001This page shows the activity at the climax of the paroxysm, when 4 different vents were active at the same time, showing 4 different eruptive behaviours. The first 8 videos were recorded on 27 July, between 14:55 and 15:20 local time, the following during the late afternoon, until sunset. | ||||
 After leaving ou oby moves around the hornitos to see the activity from different perspectives. Here you can see the hawaiian hornito (nicknamed "Alien"), part of the spray, and lava rivers in the foreground. 500 KB, no audio |  From another slightly different perspective, a spectacular zoom on Alien. 350 KB, no audio |  Back to the front of the hornito, Alien hawaiian-like activity is really addictive. Strange noises from the few human observers. 300 KB |  The hornito nicknamed "Horn" is adding a new type of activity to the paroxysm. We can call it strombolian-like, as it is a succession of discrete lava eruptions. 500 KB |  But the show reaches its top spectacularity thanks to the lava lake, which after a period of repose returns to life with lava fountaining which feed lava flows in all directions. 300 KB |
 A TERRIFIC piece of footage, showing all the different eruptive activities in 13 seconds. Looks like apocalypse, but Fred Belton in the background maintains his calm. 900 KB |  The lava lake continues to fountain. Watching it is almost as addictive as Alien. 500 KB |  At this stage a lava flow puts into danger the seismic station we installed the day before with Josh Jones of University of Washington. In order to save it, Roby leaves the videocamera filming and runs... and it's a lot of adventure ;-) 500 KB |  Almost incredibly, the flow (a real river!) is ending into a fracture in the crater floor (seen from 3 different perspectives). Only about one hour later lava started to come out from an ephemeral vent on the volcano slope. 500 KB |  Ebony and ivory living in perfect harmony ... from 5 different perspectives. 800 KB |
 A lava river reaches also the opposite rim, mostly fed by the lava lake. Here the change of slope gives birth to a spectacular fall against the savana Rift Valley landscape. 1.1 MB |  The sunset and the background of the crater rim enhance even more the spectacular show given by the sprayer and by Alien. 600 KB |  After sunset the lava colour changes from black thru dark red to orange. Although video does not make justice of the colour irreality and of the incredibly tricky boundary between lava and sky, if you still had the doubt that this is mud... :-)) 900 KB |  By light integration over time, a suggestive video of Marco probably taking one of his best-ever photographs. Jeff decides to follow him. Uhm, weren't all the photographers on Etna? ;-) 900 KB, no audio |  From the incandescent top of the "Horn" hornito from time to time suggestive "flames" are emitted, showing other elusive colours. 700 KB, no audio |