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The Eruption Of Mount Vesuvius

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Introduction
Mount Vesuvius is a well-known volcano located in the Gulf of Naples, Italy. It has a famous history of being very destructive to nearby civilizations, and erupting almost every century. The most notable eruption occurred in 79 AD, where the volcano eruption completely covered the nearby cities with ash and killed many people. Today, the area around surrounding the volcano is well populated; however, there are precautions put in place in order to avoid a loss as large as the one in 79 AD. Through the different effects it had on Naples, Italy, it is evident that the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD has changed the face of volcanology.
Geologic Process
Mount Vesuvius is classified as a stratovolcano because its eruptions are
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However, the Romans living in Southern Italy did not take the earthquakes as a sign of future danger because Mount Vesuvius had not been active since 8 BC, and they were left with a false sense of security. In 79 AD, the pressure in the volcano had built up again and the layer of lava within the volcano could not contain the gasses. For several days before the eruption, there had been tremors that could be felt in the surrounding area. When the eruption occurred, a large ash plume made an umbrella shaped cloud about 30 kilometres above the area (Klemetti). In addition to having a complex geologic process prior to the eruption, Mount Vesuvius had a great effect on its geological surroundings.
Effect on Geology
In the short time that Mount Vesuvius erupted, it changed the earth surrounding it. Fortunately, during the eruption of 79 AD, there were firsthand reports describing the volcano in detail, written by Pliny the Younger – an author of ancient Rome. The people near Mount Vesuvius did not expect the eruption, and when the eruption occurred, not everybody left the area because they believed they would be safe. The eruption lasted approximately 24 hours. Pliny the Younger observed the volcano from afar and reported that the dark cloud of ash released from the volcano blocked all light from the sun, making it darker than night. Despite the rain of ash and pumice at the beginning of the eruption, this was not necessarily lethal for the nearby civilizations. However
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