The geology of the Vulsinian area,Lazio, Italy

The Vulsinian volcanic area in central Italy is made up of several volcanic complexes: the older east part of the area, with the large volcano-tectonic depression — in our opinion not simply a caldera — of the « Lago di Bolsena », and the younger Latera volcano are the major features. With the aid of field studies, paleomagnetic measurements, absolute age determinations and petrologic data, a scheme of the volcanic evolution has been drawn up, dividing the volcanic activity into six stages. Volcanicity started about 0.92 M.y. ago and lasted until subrecent. Three rock series are distinguished: a trachytic-phonolitic magma, mainly found as ash flows, a potassic mafic magma with its salic derivatives. mainly as lavas, scoria and pyroclastics, and a trachybasaltic rockseries, mainly found as lavas and scoria.