Comment on “40Ar/39Ar dating of tuff vents in the Campi Flegrei caldera (southern Italy): toward a new chronostratigraphic reconstruction of the Holocene volcanic activity” by Fedele et al. [Bull Volcanol; 73:1323–1336]

Abstract

The volcanic history of each active volcano is assembled through detailed field work that establishes stratigraphic position of the eruption deposits, radiometric ages and study of historical sources. The volcanic history is important for hazard assessment, thus the scientific community must validate the strength of conclusions. Fedele et al. (2011) propose a new reference chronostratigraphic framework for Holocene Phlegrean activity, and discuss the implications for the Campi Flegrei (CF) volcanic history and related volcanic hazards. In particular, the authors propose to amend the previously established Holocene chronostratigraphy of volcanic activity of Campi Flegrei caldera, presented in Di Vito et al. (1999), Orsi et al. (2004), Isaia et al. (2009). The proposed changes of Fedele et al. (2011) are based on new geochronologic data, a calibration of already existing 14C ages, and a stratigraphic survey (Perrotta et al. 2010). However, the new chronological data are limited and pre-existing stratigraphic studies have not been considered, and this yields an eruption chronology that is inconsistent with the actual stratigraphic framework.