Don’t Be Fooled by Volcanic Smoke Rings

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Can you make smoke rings? I can’t!

But when volcanoes erupt, they sometimes create rare smoke rings that even the Marlboro Cowboy would gulp at.

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Etna volcano smoke ring

Volcanic smoke rings are rare and only form under special conditions:

  • A particular geolometric configuration of the circular vent exit
  • Expulsion of gas in individual puffs with just the right velocity to create these giant puff rings.

Similar to how smokers make smoke rings with their mouths – the volcano has a deep crater pit with circular vertical walls like a chimney. Because the air in the centre of the ring is forced out faster, a circular vortex is formed which keeps the rounded shaper of the smoke ring.

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Giant smoke ring hovering over Etna volcano.

Also known as toroidal vortices, this volcanic sky phenomenon have been witnessed at several volcanoes, including Stromboli, Etna and Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland.

Volcanologists reported Mount Etna releasing hundreds of smoke rings each day, in rapid succession during several months in 2000.

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Toroidal vortices have been reported at several volcanoes, including Stromboli, Italy, Etna, Italy and Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland

The smoke rings featured in this video were filmed by Geoff Mackley on 8th June 2000 during an eruption of Mt Etna in Sicily, Italy.

Similar weird smoke rings are also forming over lakes and cities around the world.

Do you think the Devil sits inside the volcano enjoying a brandy and smoking a cigar? Find other amazing stories on Strange Sounds or Steve Quayle.

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