Description.
Following the International Mars Conference organised by the Italian Space Agency in Ischia Island on Sept. 19-23, 2004, a two-days field trip to visit the Vesuvius volcano and the Phlegrean Fields (Campi Flegrei) hydrothermal system (Figure 1) is planned on Sept. 23-26. The field trip is organised by the International Research School of Planetary Sciences.

Figure 1. ASTER image of the Vesuvius and Phlegrean Fields area
high resolution image (3.5 Mb)
ASTER image processing by A.P. Rossi

The Vesuvius is famous for its eruptive history characterized by tremendous explosive eruptions well documented since the roman age. The Vesuvius is a strato-volcano formed by lavas of different chemical composition (i.e. trachyte, tephrite, leucite) and pyroclastic deposits (Figure 2).
The Vesuvius edifice reaches a height of 1281 m and lies within the older Somma caldera (Figure 2). The Monte Somma (caldera diameter 12 km, height 1133 m) forms the ancient, external cone and confirms the tremendous destructive energy of this volcanic complex.
The Vesuvius (diameter of the crater 1500 m, depth 330 m) is the inner cone formed after the disruption of the Somma volcano, probably occurred in the eruption of 79 A.D. described by Pliny the Younger, the same eruption that destroy the cities of Pompei, Ercolano and Stabia.
The Vesuvius volcano is quiescent nowadays. The last eruption occurred during the Second World War in 1944 with the formation of pyroclastic surges (Figure 2). Mud flows formed during heavy rains characterize the base of the volcano at places.

Figure 2. A) Aerial view of the Vesuvius-Somma volcanic system. (from Scandone and Giacomelli)
B) Pyroclastic surges during the last eruption of Vesuvius in 1944 (from Pesce and Rolandi, 1994).

During the field trip we will also visit the hydrothermal system of the Solfatara Crater (Figure 3) that is one of the active sites of Phlegrean Fields (Campi Flegrei).

Figure 3. The Phlegrean volcanic fields. (picture from Scandone and Giacomelli)

The Phegraean Fields consist of a series of quaternary volcanic cones which lie within a large circular depression, an older caldera more likely. The volcanic complex has been active since at least 47000 yrs bp, and it is surrounded by three quaternary volcanic centers:

• Ischia Island whose activity ranges between 132000 bp to present
  (for further info http://vulcan.fis.uniroma3.it/ischia/ischia_eng.html);
• Procida Island whose products have ages between 40000;
• Vesuvius whose oldest outcropping products have been dated at 25000 yrs bp.

Figure 4. A mud pool (A) and sulfuric emissions (B) in Solfatara Crater. (Images M. Glamoclija)

Solfatara crater is made up of a sequence of pyroclastic deposits: at the base is a phreato-magmatic breccia overlain by pyroclastic-flow deposits, mostly altered by fumarolic activity. Acidic, hot environment of mud pools and fumaroles (Figure 4) is an exceptional example of extreme terrestrial environment habited by chemosynthetic microbial communities (see also the web page http://irsps.sci.unich.it/research/projects/astrobiology/basi_solfa/basi_solfa.html).

The Phlegrean area is subject to bradisism that is the slow rising and falling of the surface as magma flows underground from one caldera to another. Sea levels changes are recorded on the columns of the roman market (Serapeo) in Pozzuoli and we plan to visit it (Figure 5).
During the IX century the town was under the sea level of about 10 meters and flooded. At the beginning of the XVI century, the ground movement inverted the trend and about 6 meters uplift occurred in a few days probably caused by the Monte Nuovo eruption. After this event, a continuous subsidence characterized the Pozzuoli area until 1968. In the last 30 years, the area is experiencing an uplift of a few centimeters per year.

Figure 5. A) Picture of the Serapeo and B) close up of the column altered by lithophagi
during sea level highstands. (pictures from www.ulyxes.it)

A geological-oriented tour of Pompeii archeological site (Figure 6) is planned as well. The town has been destroyed by the explosive eruption of 79 A.D. associated with pyroclastic surge, ash and lapilli falls. During this eruption, Pompeii has been covered by about 4 meters of pumice lapilli.

Figure 6. Aerial view of the Pompeii archeological site.

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Logistics.
In the late afternoon of Thursday September 23 a bus will collect the participants who have attended the International Mars Conference at the Stazione Marittima in Naples where the ferryboats from Ischia arrive. The bus departure time from the Stazione Marittima will be given in September.
The participants will stay at the Hotel Villa Cimmino (3 stars) in Castellammare di Stabia, a nice town on the southern coast of the Gulf of Naples (Figure 7). Single or double room accommodations are available.

The excursions will be performed on Friday September 24 and Saturday September 25. The field trip is easy and does not involve long walks. You will have to wear a warm jacket because it may be windy and cold at the Vesuvius summit (about 1000 meters altitude).
A road map of the field trip is shown in Figure 7.

A farewell dinner at the restaurant La Bersagliera (http://www.labersagliera.it) in Naples will take place on Saturday September 25. The restaurant is located in the historical fishingarea of Santa Lucia.

A bus service to the Capodichino (Naples) airport and Fiumicino (Rome) airport will be organized on Sunday September 26 without extra charge. We plan to leave the hotel at 8:00 am and reach the Capodichino airport at 9:00 am and Fiumicino airport at 12:30 pm.

Figure 7. Road map of the field trip locations.

Preliminary Schedule.

• Thursday 23: late afternoon: pick up of the participants to Stazione Marittima, (Naples) and transfer to the hotel in Castellammare di Stabia;
• Friday 24: Excursion on the Vesuvius Volcano and neighbouring areas, visit to Pompeii, return by bus to the hotel;
• Saturday 25: Excursion to Campi Flegrei and return by bus to the hotel; Dinner at the La Bersagliera restaurant in Naples
• Sunday 26: early morning (departure 8:00am): bus transfer to the airport of Naples (arrival 9:00am) and Rome-Fiumicino (arrival 12:30 pm).

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Contacts.
For further information on the field trip topics please contact Gian Gabriele Ori (ggori@irsps.unich.it).
Stefania Celenza (celenza@irsps.unich.it) can assist you in case of troubles with the payment.
More info about the field trip organisers can be found here.

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