Ferdinandea, a New Submarine Volcano

Abstract

Ferdinandea is a submerged volcanic island that formed a part of the large underwater volcano named Empedocles (37°10 N, 12°43 E), 30 km southwest of Sicily. In mid-July 1831, a new volcanic island emerged above the sea level in the shelf sea between Sicily and Tunisia. From its crater molted lava, volcanic gases and pumices were ejected. During the next few weeks, new volcano island had grown to its size of about 400 × 250 m² (=0.1 km²). The maximum volcano height approached to 60 m. The unexpected appearance entailed to an intricate international incident over the sovereignty of this new piece of land. The dispute, however, became unresolved since the island disappeared beneath the ocean waves in December the same year.

Curiously enough, no matter how unusual phenomenon the birth of a new volcano was, European politicians were the first, who – before naturalists – displayed a great interest in the matter. The representatives of the superpowers of that time, namely Great Britain, France, and Italian Kingdom of Naples and Sicily, tried to claim their positions in this strategic part of the Mediterranean Sea. It was expected that the new volcanic activities might possibly result in the creation of a chain of volcanic islands between Sicily and Tunisia (or even a compact-ground isthmus there) what could fundamentally change the geo-political situation in the Mediterranean.