Apr 23 2009
Our Word for the Day - nuee ardente
Within the past month, I had written a post on the volcanic activity at Alaska’s Redoubt Volcano. It has been relatively quiet in the past few weeks, however, the Volcano Center continues to monitor the situation. As I was searching through my big science book, looking for an unusual word to share, I came across this one and it has something to do with volcano activity.
Our word for this week is nuee ardente, which is referring to the glowing white-hot cloud of gas and ash that is emitted by a volcano during a violent eruption. In 1902 a nuee ardente produced by the eruption of Mount Peter in Martinique swept down the side of the volcano within a matter of seconds and killed 28,000 people in the nearby town of St. Pierre.
I can honestly say I have never heard of that word before!
Loved the review you have written here. Is there anything else to say on this subject?