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Geology Event of the Week, April 8-14, 2007: "Eruption of the Century" on La Reunion
Fournaise.info ^ | Over the last week | Various

Posted on 04/10/2007 7:12:23 AM PDT by cogitator

La Reunion's famous Piton de la Fournaise volcano had a big eruption last week -- a much higher lava volume than is characteristic of this volcano. This led to the quick prediction of a summit crater collapse (i.e., an expansion of the summit caldera) which in fact happened April 7. First reports are in that the crater looks apocalyptic. There are also reports that there were 200-meter-plus lava fountains, VERY unusual for Piton.

There have been some health problems, evacuations, road cuts, and fish kills, but no deaths, as far as I know.

Some of the news links may be transient. This applies to those people who may discover this thread days or weeks or months after it was initiatied.

Some reports:

Volcano Discovery's Piton de la Fournaise page

Expedition Depicts Apocalypse At Summit Of Reunion's Volcano

Volcano erupting (6 pictures)

Reunion sees 'colossal' volcano eruption, but population safe (1 poor picture)

"Staudacher called the lava flow "colossal" and estimated it at three million cubic metres (four million cubic yards) per day. ... Lava flows, which have cut off a national highway, have traveled at 60 kilometres (38 miles) per hour, and magma has been projected 200 metres (656 feet) high."

Volcanic eruptions diminish on Indian Ocean island (because the magma chamber is empty!) (1 amazing lava delta picture -- click the small one)

The GRANDE FINALE --

Fournaise.info

In French: loaded with pictures, maps, and updates.

And finally a couple of pictures, of the lava fountains:

Lava at the sea at twilight:



TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Education; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: collapse; eruption; lava; volcano
This is Mauna Loa level from a volcano that's normally a half-Kilauea. When the summit crater collapse pictures go online, that should be impressive.
1 posted on 04/10/2007 7:12:26 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: 2Trievers; headsonpikes; Pokey78; Lil'freeper; epsjr; sauropod; kayak; Miss Marple; CPT Clay; ...

major event PING!


2 posted on 04/10/2007 7:13:11 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

Though I don’t read French, their story was actually very clear, with good graphics and pic’s that explained a lot abut the story. The writer of the on-line story did a good job.


3 posted on 04/10/2007 7:17:29 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: cogitator

In the words of Paris Hilton, “That’s hot!”


4 posted on 04/10/2007 7:22:32 AM PDT by NCC-1701 (ELIMINATE ORGANIZED CRIME. ABOLISH THE I.R.S.)
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To: cogitator
ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!

Here's the page with lots and lots of great pictures of the eruption, including the new crater interior

Eruption du 2 Avril 2007

Impressive lava fountains:


5 posted on 04/10/2007 7:26:30 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE; NCC-1701

See my new post in the thread.


6 posted on 04/10/2007 7:27:13 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

These photos are pretty darned impressive as is! Thanks for sharing them with us.


7 posted on 04/10/2007 8:25:27 AM PDT by geezerwheezer (get up boys, we're burnin' daylight!!!)
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To: cogitator

Wow, that video is sooo awesome!

Alert Al, the earth just got warmer.


8 posted on 04/10/2007 1:26:01 PM PDT by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: cogitator

Excuse my ignorance...but where is Piton? No mention of geographic location in the English article.


9 posted on 04/17/2007 9:07:04 AM PDT by Cuttnhorse
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To: Cuttnhorse
Excuse my ignorance...but where is Piton? No mention of geographic location in the English article.

La Reunion island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.

Speaking geologically, the Reunion hotspot, which also birthed Mauritius (Maurice), was also where the Deccan Basalts happened when India passed over it on the its way to smashing into southern Asia. Reunion has two older calderas predating Piton de la Fournaise; I previously posted a picture of the waterfall in one of them, the "Iron Hole", with a total drop of ~3,000 feet and one drop nearly 1,000 feet:

Neat place. It's like a French version of Hawaii, complete with active basaltic volcano and tall waterfalls. And tropical beaches. Etc.

10 posted on 04/17/2007 10:34:33 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

Thanks Coge,

Neat place...spectacular waterfalls. I spent time around the Indian Ocean when I worked for almost two years in Tanzania. The project was about 48k from Lake Victoria and for days off I had an apartment right on the ocean in Dar es Salaam. Used to sail on a friend’s boat around the islands south of Dar. The Indian Ocean has to be one of the nicest oceans in the world...84-degrees and beautiful reefs with spectacular diving.


11 posted on 04/17/2007 2:28:32 PM PDT by Cuttnhorse
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