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Here we present a new volcanological map of the Southwestern portion of the Vesuvius volcano at a scale of 1:10,000. Mapped units were subdivided into Unconformity-Bounded Stratigraphic Units. This work constitutes a significant development with respect to previous maps, particularly for the medieval lavas. It also includes a series of volcanic–tectonic lineaments, which have never been reported in any of the previous cartographic works. Archeological and historical data were used for mapping the lava emitted during the last 2000 years. All the historical lava flow paths and tephra deposits of the last 4000 years that were reported on the map and evidence the intimate relationship between volcanological and morphological features, and the development of human activity on this very densely populated sector of the volcano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution digital topography is essential for land management and planning in any type of territory as well as the reproduction of the Earth surface in a geocoded digital format that allows several Digital Earth applications. In a volcanic environment, Digital Elevation Models are a valid reference for multi-temporal analyses aimed to observe frequent changes of a volcano edifice and for the relative detailed morphological and structural analyses. For the first time, a DTM (Digital Terrain Model) and a DSM (Digital Surface Model) covering the entire Mt. Etna volcano (Italy) derived from the same airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) are here presented. More than 250 million 3D LiDAR points have been processed to distinguish ground elements from natural and anthropic features. The end product is the highly accurate representation of Mt. Etna landscape (DSM) and ground topography (DTM) dated 2005. Both models have a high spatial resolution of 2 m and cover an area of 620 km2. The DTM has been validated by GPS ground control points. The vertical accuracy has been evaluated, resulting in a root-mean-square-error of ± 0.24 m. The DTM is available as electronic supplement and represents a valid support for various scientific studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Volcaniclastic debris flows are dangerous natural phenomena that originate in volcanic areas not only during or shortly after an eruption but also during a period of volcanic quiescence, when heavy and/or persistent rains remobilize unconsolidated pyroclastic deposits. In Italy, one of the areas most affected by these phenomena is that of the Apennine Mountains which border the southern Campania Plain surrounding the Vesuvius volcano. Historical accounts record in these areas that more than 500 debris flow events occurred during the last five centuries. These events caused very dangerous consequences such as loss of life and serious damage to property. An example is the devastating event of Sarno of 5 May 1998 which caused the death of more than 150 people and considerable damage to villages located at the foot of the Apennine Hills. In order to contribute to the assessment and mitigation of the debris flow risk, we propose a zonation map that identifies the areas more prone to generation and invasion by volcaniclastic flows. This map is based on field investigations and morphometric analyses derived from a digital elevation model with spatial resolution of 10 meters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a multidisciplinary study implemented in Geographic Information System (GIS) environment to investigate the palaeo-hydrography in a sector of the Magra River alluvial plain (north-western Italy) where the famous ruins of the Roman colony of Luna (now Luni) are located. The approach proposed here combines the results obtained by different remote sensing images (satellite and airborne photos) with the data derived from historical cartography and recent field surveys. The traces are mapped and organised in two vector databases organised in linear or polygonal features consistent with fluvial elements (e.g. palaeo-channels, abandoned streams, etc.) and marshy/swamp areas, respectively. This database represents a useful starting point that can be implemented by further more detailed studies aimed to better understand the evolution of the landscape and the possible relationship with the story of the archaeological site of Luna about which many questions are still unresolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a novel and very useful active remote sensing system which can be used to directly identify geomorphological features as well as the properties of materials on the ground surface. In this work, LiDAR data were applied to the study of the Stromboli volcano in Italy. LiDAR data points, collected during a survey in October 2005, were used to generate a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a calibrated intensity map of the ground surface. The DEM, derived maps and topographic cross-sections were used to complete a geomorphological analysis of Stromboli, which led to the identification of four main geomorphological domains linked to major volcanic cycles. Moreover, we investigated and documented the potential of LiDAR intensity data for distinguishing and characterizing different volcanic products, such as fallout deposits, epiclastic sediments and lava flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]