Eruption Update for January 31, 2013: Etna, Colima,Taal, Rabaul and More

Strombolian activity in the Bocca Nuova crater at Etna on January 28, 2013. Image: Dr. Boris Behncke / Flickr. Some news from the world of volcanoes from this week: Italy Things are definitely heating up at Etna (no pun intended ... ok, maybe a little pun). The Osservatorio Etneo reports that Bocca Nuova had its fifth Strombolian event (sounds tasty) of the new year -- combine that with the two from the Southeast Crater -- and that's already 7 eruptions in 2013. In the days leading up to these new activity at the Bucca Nuova crater, there was intense degassing with fine ash that lead to the eventual Strombolian explosions that lit up the night sky over Etna. What makes this activity at Etna so interesting (at least to me) is that both Bocca Nuova and the Southeast Crater were erupting simultaneous during some of these episodes, like on January ...