BORIS BEHNCKE

Dr. Boris Behncke
Born on 2 March 1962 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Living in Catania, Italy, since early 1997
Language skills: German, English, Italian, French (spoken and written); Dutch, Spanish (sufficient for reading); Latin (theoretical)

Education

1968: Elementary school, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
1969-1972: Elementary school, Horrem (near Cologne), Germany
1972-1982: Lyceum, Kerpen (near Cologne), Germany

1985-1989: Studies in Geological Sciences, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
1989: Bachelor's Degree in Geological Sciences
1990-1994: Continuation of studies in Geological Sciences, Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel, Germany
1996: Master's Degree in Geological Sciences, Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel, Germany; presentation of thesis entitled: "Neogene to Quaternary volcanism in the area between Palagonia and Militello (SE Sicily): Stratigraphy, petrology, and reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment" (in German)

2001: Ph.D. degree in Geological Sciences, Università degli Studi Catania; presentation of dissertation entitled: "Tectonic, sedimentary and volcanic evolution of the northern margin of the Hyblean Plateau (Sicily) from the Upper Miocene to the Quaternary"

Work

2001-2002: Temporary employment at the Università degli Studi Catania, mostly for translation work; frequent collaboration with travel agencies and tour operators (Aventure et Volcans, Terres d'Aventures, Biosport Management) and guidance of excursions to Mount Etna, the Aeolian Islands, and the Nebrodi and Peloritani Mountains in Sicily. Work on a series of publications concerning the recent eruptive activity at Mount Etna (see "Publications")
2003-2004: Temporary employment with the Roma section of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (FASA Project). Lessons in volcanology at the Liceo Classico "Gulli e Pennisi" of Acireale, and lectures in "Volcanology" before travellers from the U.S.. University courses in "Volcanology" (GEO320) for foreign students at the Mediterranean Center for Arts and Sciences (MCAS) in Siracusa, Sicily.
2005: Research grant with the Catania section of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, starting 1 April 2005. The main objectives of current research are concentrated on the recent eruptive behavior of Etna, possible links between magma accumulation, flank instability and patterns in the eruptive activity, soil gas emissions, and hazard assessments.

Publications

(A) Peer-reviewed articles

Schmincke HU, Behncke B, Grasso M, Raffi S (1997) Evolution of the northwestern Iblean Mountains, Sicily: uplift, Pliocene-Pleistocene sea-level changes, paleoenvironment, and volcanism. Geologische Rundschau (now International Journal of Earth Sciences) 86: 637-669

Behncke B, Neri M (2003) The July-August 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna (Sicily). Bulletin of Volcanology 65: 461-476

Behncke B, Neri M, Carniel R (2003) An exceptional case of endogenous lava dome growth spawning pyroclastic avalanches: the 1999 Bocca Nuova eruption of Mt. Etna (Italy). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 124: 115-128

Behncke B, Neri M (2003) Cycles and trends in the recent eruptive behaviour of Mount Etna (Italy). Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 40: 1405-1411

Acocella V, Behncke B, Neri M, D'Amico S (2003) Link between large-scale flank slip and 2002-2003 eruption of Mount Etna (Italy). Geophysical Research Letters 30, DOI: 10.1029/2003GL018642

Behncke B, Neri M, Sturiale G (2004) Rapid morphological changes at the summit of an active volcano: reappraisal of the poorly documented 1964 eruption of Mount Etna (Italy). Geomorphology 63: 203-218, DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.04.004

Neri M, Acocella V, Behncke B (2004) The role of the Pernicana Fault System in the spreading of Mt. Etna (Italy) during the 2002-2003 eruption. Bulletin of Volcanology 66: 417-430

Behncke B (2004) Late Pliocene volcanic island growth and flood basalt-like lava emplacement in the Hyblean Mountains (SE Sicily). Journal of Geophysical Research 109, B09201, DOI:10.1029/2003JB002937

Neri M, Acocella V, Behncke B, Maiolino V, Ursino A, Velardita R (2005) Contrasting triggering mechanisms of the 2001 and 2002-2003 eruptions of Mount Etna (Italy). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2004.11.025 (in press)

Rust D, Behncke B, Neri M, Ciocanel A (2005) Nested zones of instability in the Mount Etna volcanic edifice, Italy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2004.11.021 (in press)

Behncke B, Berrino G, Corrado G, Velardita R (2005) Ground deformation and gravity changes on the island of Pantelleria in the geodynamic framework of the Sicily Channel. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, accepted for publication (September 2004)

Behncke B, Neri M, Nagay A (2005) Lava flow hazard at Mount Etna (Italy): new data from a GIS-based study. Geological Society of America Special Paper (accepted January 2005)

Alparone S, Behncke B, Gambino S, Neri M, Privitera E (2005) Monitoring paroxysmal summit activity at Etna through soil radon emissions. Submitted to Geophysical Research Letters (April 2005)

Behncke B, Neri M, Pecora E, Zanon V (2005) The exceptional activity and growth of Southeast Crater, Mount Etna (Italy), between 1996 and 2001. Submitted to Bulletin of Volcanology (April 2005)

Behncke B, Struck A (2005) Volcano tourism at Mount Etna (Italy) under scrutiny: intentions, knowledge, and risk perception. To be submitted to Bulletin of Volcanology

(B) Articles in other journals

Behncke B (1998) Il vulcanesimo del Plateau Ibleo (Sicilia sud-orientale) negli ultimi 230 Ma. Bollettino dell'Accademia Gioenia Catania 31 (N. 355): 39-50

Grasso M, Behncke B (1998) Vulcanesimo, sedimentazione e tettoncia neogenico-quaternaria del Plateau Ibleo. Guida alle escursioni, 79° Congresso Nazionale della Società Geologica Italiana (Palermo 24-25 Settembre 1998): 81-101

Behncke B (2000) Palaeocoastlines captured in volcanic facies: an approach to dating of karst phenomena of the Hyblean Plateau, SE Sicily. Speleologia Iblea 8: 37-42

Behncke B (2000) Summit eruptions of Mount Etna. Geotimes 5/2000.

Pedley M, Grasso M, Maniscalco R, Behncke B, Di Stefano A, Giuffrida S, Sturiale G (2001) The sedimentology and palaeoenvironment of Quaternary temperate carbonates and their distribution around the northern Hyblean Mountains (SE Sicily). Bollettino della Società Geologica Italiana 121: 233-255

(C) Book chapter

Behncke B (2001) Volcanism in the Southern Apennines and Sicily. In: Vai, G.B. & Martini, I.P. (eds) Anatomy of an Orogen: the Apennines and Adjacent Mediterranean Basins. Kluwer: 105-120

(D) Abstracts

Neri M, Nagay A, Acocella V, Behncke B (2003) Flank instability at Mount Etna (Italy) during the 2002-2003 eruption. Abstract presented at "Cities On Volcanoes 3" Meeting, Hawaii, S24 Science Poster (view abstract)

Neri M, Acocella V, Behncke B (2003) Large-scale spreading of the eastern flank of Mt. Etna (Italy) during the 2002-2003 eruption. Abstract presented at the EGS-AGU-EUG Joint Assembly, Nice, France, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 5, 03636

Acocella V, Behncke B, D'Amico S, Maiolino V, Neri M, Ursino A, Velardita R (2003) The 2001 and 2002-2003 eruptions of Mount Etna (Italy): Evidence for different triggering mechanisms. Abstract presented at the Annual Workshop 2003, Pantelleria, Sicily (23-28 September 2003) on: Seismic Phenomena Associated With Volcanic Activity

Behncke B, Berrino G, Velardita R (2003) Ground deformation and gravity changes on the island of Pantelleria in the geodynamic framework of the Sicily channel (invited paper). Abstract presented at the Annual Workshop 2003, Pantelleria, Sicily (23-28 September 2003) on: Seismic Phenomena Associated With Volcanic Activity

(E) Geological maps

Grasso M, Behncke B, Giuffrida S, Maniscalco R, Sturiale G (2001) Carta geologica del bordo settentrionale dell'Altopiano ibleo (scala 1:25.000). Accordo di Programma DSTN-Servizio Geologico-CNR "Realizzazione dell'Atlante di cartografia prototipale" (Scheda n° 21, Prof. M. Grasso)

Schmincke H-U, Behncke B, Grasso M, Strano D, La Manna F, Maniscalco R, Raffi, S. (2004) Geological map of the area between Ramacca, Militello and Mineo (northern margin of the Hyblean Plateau) (scale 1:25.000). S.EL.CA. Firenze

Copyright © Boris Behncke, "Italy's Volcanoes: The Cradle of Volcanology"