Mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the ejecta from the 5 April 2003 paroxysm at Stromboli, Italy

The paroxysm of 5 April 2003 has been the most violent event of the past 50 years. The eruption occurred while lava emission was in progress from lateral vents and consisted of an 8-min-long explosive sequence. The most energetic explosion launched meter-sized ballistic blocks that fell on the volcano flanks and on the village of Ginostra, about 2 km far from the vent. A vertical gas/pyroclastic jet rose above the craters, feeding a convective plume that reached a height of up to 4 km. A fallout deposit of coarse pyro- clasts (bombs and blocks) with subordinate amount of fine ash blanketed the upper part of the cone, while a shower of light pumice fell on the southern slopes of the volcano, down to the sea