Mount Etna Blows Rings Like an Able Smoker and We’ve Just Found Out What They Are and How They Form

Volcanoes are awe-inspiring forces of nature, spewing molten rock and ash high into the atmosphere. But Mount Etna, the most active volcano in Europe, located in Sicily, Italy, has another trick up its sleeve: it is known for blowing out mesmerizing smoke rings. These ethereal formations, puffing out from the crater, have fascinated observers for centuries, and for a reason.

Etna, a stratovolcano known for its steep conical shape, boasts a long history of eruptions documented as far back as 1500 BCE. The name itself hints at its fiery nature, possibly derived from Latin or Greek words meaning “to burn” or even a Phoenician term for “furnace”. And where there is fire, there is smoke, one would think, but that’s actually not the case. Because these rings aren’t made up of smoke at all.

The phenomenon occurs when vents open on the flanks of the volcano, allowing a forceful expulsion of hot gasses, vapors, and smoke from the molten rock below. As these gases ascend, they encounter cooler atmospheric conditions, causing the water vapor within them to condense and form visible rings. This process is facilitated by the unique structure of the volcano’s vents, which act as a circular aperture, allowing the gas to curl into ring shapes as it is released into the air.

On its own, the vapor is “colorless, but once it reaches the condensation level then it becomes whitish—and that’s what we are seeing,” Ana Casas Ramos, a volcanologist at the Australian National University, told the ABC. “The water vapor is coming out very hot and then once it reaches shallow levels, like atmospheric levels, it then encounters cold air and that’s when you get this condensation.”

Rings above Etna and also Mount Vesuvius in mainland Italy, notorious for destroying Pompeii, have been observed since 1724. Additionally, vortex rings have been recently sighted at volcanoes in Alaska, Ecuador, Guatemala, Japan, Vanuatu, New Zealand, and Nicaragua, according to The Smithsonian. But the displays at Mount Etna are particularly notable for their clarity and frequency.

Previously, scientists were uncertain about the process behind the formation of these rings. In 2023, a study published in the journal Scientific Reports used computer simulations to investigate this mechanism. The findings revealed that for the rings to form, gas bubbles must be expelled from the upper part of a conduit carrying magma towards the surface.

“Imagine a very narrow, cylindrical conduit, within which, at a certain depth, there is magma,” Boris Behncke, a volcanologist at the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology’s Etna observatory, wrote in an email to the Washington Post. “Every so often, a bubble forms at the surface of the magma, bursts, and sends a slug of gas at high speed through that conduit.”

This gas then rolls up the vent’s sides, creating visible rings through condensation. The vent must possess a roughly circular shape with uniform height on the sides for these ring formations to occur, National Geographic‘s Robin George Andrews writes.

Recently, and particularly this April, Etna has been particularly active in producing these smokey vortex rings. As the video below testifies, the volcano is putting on a spectacular show, but this does not necessarily mean that a major eruption is on the way, according to the The New York Times – more like, business as usual. Like someone puffing leisurely on a cigarette.

As Mount Etna continues to be an area of active research and observation, we can expect to learn even more about the fascinating world of volcanology through these smoke rings. For those fortunate enough to witness the phenomenon, it’s an unforgettable experience that highlights the beauty and power of Earth’s geological forces. Since Etna is now actively puffing its “smoke rings,” it’s probably the best time to go and try to see it for yourself. Good luck!