[Rockhounds] The enigma of Europe's submerged behemoth

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

When we think of Italy's volcanoes, we may assume that Etna, which
overshadows Sicily, and Vesuvius, which famously destroyed Pompei, present
the biggest danger to the peninsula's population and tourists. Yet there is
another monster that could wreak havoc to the southern peninsula and its
islands.

Its name is Marsili, and it is located around 175km (110 miles) south of
Naples. With a height of 3,000m (9,800ft), and a base 70km long by 30km
wide (43 by 19 miles), Marsili is a true giant. It is the largest active
volcano in the whole of Europe
<https://www.ingv.it/it/stampa-e-urp/stampa/news/1685-il-vulcano-marsili>.
You won't ever see it, however, since its peak is 500m (1,640ft) under
water, in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Scientists have known of Marsili's existence for a century, but it is only
within the last decade that they have started to investigate the dangers
that Marsili might pose – and their findings are concerning. According to
some recent models, its activity could potentially trigger an enormous
tsunami, with a 30m-high (98ft) wave hitting Calabrian and Sicilian coasts.


https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210730-the-enigma-of-europes-largest-active-volcano