- VVR, also known as volcanic smoke rings, are generated when gas, predominantly water vapor, is released rapidly through a circular vent in the volcanic crater.
- Mt Etna is the world’s most active volcano, located on the east coast of Sicily (Italy).
- Also, it is the largest volcano of Europe.
- It lies in the highly active tectonic zone of Mediterranean Sea region which is part of the Mid-continental Volcanic Belt.
- The other important belt includes Circum pacific (ring of fire) and Mid-Atlantic belt.
- The other important belt includes Circum pacific (ring of fire) and Mid-Atlantic belt.
- Why Mediterranean Sea region has highly active tectonic zone?
- Located on the convergent boundary between the Eurasian and African continental plates, and other minor plates.
- Convergence of plates creates subduction zone in western part of sea leading to formation of volcanoes.
- A subduction zone is a collision between two of Earth's tectonic plates, where one plate sinks into the mantle underneath the other plate.
- Chains of submarine volcanoes have been created in the sea.
- The important volcanoes in the region are Mt Vesuvius, Stromboli, etc.
