Search

Geophysical data provide the chance to investigate a volcano's dynamics; considerable information can especially be gleaned on the stress and strain patterns accompanying the internal processes and the effect of magma ascent on the main structures triggering earthquakes. Here, we analysed in detail the seismicity recorded over the last two decades on Etna volcano (southern Italy), focusing on earthquakes distribution and focal mechanism clustering; the ground deformation pattern affecting the volcanic edifice with the inflation and deflation phases was also examined. Analysed data were compared in order to shed light on possible relationships with the volcanic activity and to better understand the internal dynamics of the volcano over time. Significant steps during or shortly before major eruptions in the seismic strain release and ground deformation temporal series highlight a straightforward relationship between seismicity occurring at shallow level, inflation/deflation and volcanism. Furthermore, at depths greater than 5–7 km, down to about 20 km, the orientation of the P- and T-axes clearly indicate the existence of a pressure source in the central part of the volcano. All the results underline that the stress field related to the volcano plumbing system interferes with the regional field, partly overriding it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrasound is increasing applied as a tool to investigate magma dynamics at active volcanoes, especially at open-vent volcanoes, such as Mt. Etna (Italy), which are prodigious sources of infrasound. Harmonic infrasound signals have been used to constrain crater dimensions and track the movement of magma within the shallow plumbing system. This study interprets the remarkable systematic change in monotonic infrasound signals preceding a lava fountaining episode at Mt. Etna on 20 February 2021. We model the changing tones (0.7 to 3 Hz fundamental frequency) as a rise in the magma column from 172 ± 25 m below the crater rim to 78 ± 8 m over the course of 24 h. The infrasonic gliding disappears approximately 4 h before the onset of lava fountaining as the magma column approaches the flare of the crater and acoustic resonance is no longer supported. The featured 20 February event was just one of 52 lava fountain episodes that occurred at Mt. Etna over the course of 9 months in 2021 and was the only lava fountain episode where dramatic gliding was observed as a subsequent partial collapse of the crater prevented future resonance. The results presented here demonstrate that analysis of infrasonic gliding can be used to track the position of the magma free surface and hence may provide information on the processes taking place within the plumbing system before eruptive activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new three‐dimensional (3D) image of attenuation beneath Mt. Etna volcano based on the coda normalization method. Mt. Etna is an ideal natural laboratory for the application of new or unconventional tomography techniques owing to high levels of seismicity spanning a wide range of epicentral distances and depths. We retrieved seismic waveforms from the database generated in the 2014 TOMO‐ETNA seismic experiment and performed a joint interpretation of tomographic and geophysical inversion models to better constrain interpretations of the volcanic structure. We compared the attenuation tomography results with seismic inversion models (two P wave seismic models and a 3D coda wave seismic attenuation model) and the literature to highlight and interpret structural elements and their impact on the volcano dynamics. We created a new image of the inner structure of Mt. Etna that will help to constrain present and future volcanic behavior. In particular, we focused on magma storage below the summit area and identified a large high‐attenuation volume that is characterized by physical properties compatible with the presence of magma and other fluids. The existence of such a large volume of magma in the shallow crust below Mt. Etna has implications for the eruptive potential of the volcano. Plain Language Summary: Mount Etna, Italy, is one of the world's most active volcanoes and presents an almost constant state of activity. To correctly interpretate potential volcanic hazards, there is a need to better understand the complex inner structure of the volcano. To this end, Mt. Etna is an ideal natural laboratory for the application of new or unconventional tomography techniques. We analyzed seismic attenuation, which measures the loss of energy of the seismic waves, to obtain a three‐dimensional attenuation model of Mt. Etna. We compared our attenuation tomography results with other geophysical data in order to interpret key structural elements and their impact on volcano dynamics. We identified a large volume below the summit area that is compatible with the presence of magma and other volcanic fluids, highlighting the continued eruptive potential of the volcano. Key Points: Three‐dimensional attenuation images over the first 10 km below Etna volcano obtained by coda normalization methodAttenuation images show partial melt body below Etna volcanoJoint interpretation of different models confirm the high heterogeneity below Etna volcano [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising magma, dike intrusions, and flank collapse are observed at many volcanoes worldwide, but how they interact is still poorly documented. Extensive synthetic aperture radar interferometry and continuous global positioning system observations captured a sharp dike intrusion at Mount Etna, Italy, during the 2018 paroxysm that triggered a vigorous seaward sliding of the eastern flank connected with brittle failure and deep magmatic resourcing. We propose a feedback process between flank acceleration and magma intrusion that derives from the interaction between the long- and short-term deformation of the volcano. The flank sliding acts as a valve that modulates the emplacement and eruption of magma within the shallow system. Rapid flank acceleration could potentially evolve into sudden collapses and seismic release at shallow depth. In turn, flank slip events could act as a sentinel for changes in magma depth and paroxysmal eruptions at Mount Etna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: At the Mount Etna volcano (Italy) the massive release of magmatic gasses (especially H2O, CO2 and SO2) during explosive eruptions and through the persistent gas plume, raises important issues: i) the volume of magma erupted at given periods is insufficient to feed the gas plume of the related periods; ii) gas-dominated, explosive eruptions do not emit differentiated products, but relatively Mg-rich magmas; iii) H2O measured in melt inclusions (~3.5wt.% at about 0.4GPa) exceeds what is expected from intraplate mantle-derived melts (<1.4wt.%). Literature data on melt inclusions (MIs) along with textural and compositional analyses of plagioclase and phase stability constrained by MELT calculations, enabled us to build a model that reconciles the abovementioned discrepancies with the high variability of the water content along the Etnean feeding system. We propose that along an open magma conduit, continuous gas loss from the free surface of magma at depth promotes an almost steady stream of H2O-rich fluid extending well below the gas saturation depth. The velocity of volatile migration might be enhanced by the huge amount of CO2 present at Mount Etna, because the CO2 exsolved at high-pressure conditions may act as carrier for other volatile species. In this way the H2O-undersaturated primitive magma present in the plumbing system, may undergo a volatile “flushing” proportional to the residing time. This process is fundamental to increase the originally low H2O content of primitive magma (≤1.4wt.%) allowing it to overcome the saturation threshold, to exsolve as gas and to promote the eruption of Mg-rich lavas. Such mechanism would also account for the unexpectedly high amount of magmatic water released during non-eruptive periods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We present the application of a classification method based on Kohonen maps and fuzzy clustering to geochemical analyses of volcanic products erupted on Mt. Etna from 1995 to 2005. Based on 13 major and trace elements, the classification allows a new way to visualize distinct compositional features of magma both considering long period as well as single eruptive events, such as in 2001 and 2002-03 flank eruptions. Products of the various vents do not necessarily form homogeneous groups, but show clear trends of chemical evolution with time. Using a convenient color code, the graphical visualization of the results in just a single picture allows the rapid identification of the compositional features of each sample and their comparison with all the products analyzed in the 10-year-long time span. This single picture accounts for the mutual interactions of the 13 components avoiding shortcomings of classical low-dimensional plots where components relevant for the discrimination have to be found in a priori study of many diagrams. On the basis of the synoptic information provided by pattern classification, we identify links between the products of different eruptive vents which deliver a reliable picture of a multifaceted plumbing system, in agreement with geochemical and geophysical evidence reported in literature. The analysis of the 13-dimensional data set using the Kohonen maps and fuzzy clustering simultaneously turned out to be straightforward and easy. Accordingly, the results of this application will be useful also as a contextual data set for new data in future ongoing eruptive episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magma ascent velocities, v (dH/dt; where H is depth and t is time), can be determined from decompression rates (dP/dt), and rates of cooling (dT/dt): , where ρ is magma density, P is pressure, T is temperature and g is the acceleration due to gravity. This equation for v provides a key to investigating the relationships between the initial ascent velocity of magmas and the depths of magma dehydration. Ascent velocities can be calculated using pressure and temperature (P–T) estimates from mineral–liquid thermobarometry and cooling rates inferred from crystal size distribution (CSD) theory. For recent Mt. Etna lava flows, both dP/dT and dT/dt have been characterized for the portion of the feeding system between the Moho (∼27 km) and 6 km based, respectively, on clinopyroxene thermobarometry and clinopyroxene CSDs. Deep-level (>6 km) magma ascent velocities range from practically zero (where clinopyroxene P–T estimates form a cluster, and so dP/dT ≈ 0), to about 10 m h–1 for flows that yield very steep P–T trajectories. Many lava flows at Mt. Etna yield P–T paths that follow a hydrous (∼3% water) clinopyroxene saturation surface, which closely approximates the water content inferred from melt inclusions. Independent assessments of deep-level water contents have been obtained by means of a new geohygrometer and yield ascent rates of ∼1 m h–1, in agreement with the slowest rates derived for magma effusion or vapor-driven ascent (∼0·001 to >0·2 m s–1, or 3·6–720 m h–1). Changes in P–T slope, as determined by pyroxene thermobarometry, indicate an upward acceleration of magma, which may be due to the onset of deep-level magma dehydration linked to the non-ideal behavior of water and CO2 mixtures that induce a deep-level maximum of water loss at P ≈ 0·4 MPa and T ≈ 1200°C for a CO2 content >1000 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We investigated the eruptive episodes that occurred at Etna volcano on 15 November 2011 and 18 March 2012 using different types of data. We present novel data from two recently installed strainmeters that recorded unique signals during the lava fountain phases of these events. The strainmeter data, integrated with those recorded by the magnetic network, and with satellite and ground thermal data, allowed us to follow the path of a gas-rich magma batch from the source inside the volcano to the surface and atmosphere. The amplitude ratio of the volumetric strain changes constrained the storage depth of the magma feeding the lava fountains above 1.5 km below sea level. Magnetic data revealed an attempted shallow lateral intrusion, whereas ground and satellite thermal data furnished a quantification of the total erupted volumes of ∼2.2 × 10 m for the 15 November event and ∼3.0 × 10 m for the 18 March event. Despite different durations of the explosive and effusive phases of the two lava fountain events, the total erupted volume was quite similar, suggesting the emptying of a shallow storage system displaying a steady behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major objectives of volcanology remains relating variations in surface monitoring signals to the magmatic processes at depth that cause these variations. We present a method that enables compositional and temporal information stored in zoning of minerals (olivine in this case) to be linked to observations of real-time degassing data. The integrated record may reveal details of the dynamics of gradual evolution of a plumbing system during eruption. We illustrate our approach using the 2006 summit eruptive episodes of Mt. Etna. We find that the history tracked by olivine crystals, and hence, most likely the magma pathways within the shallow plumbing system of Mt. Etna, differed considerably between the July and October eruptions. The compositional and temporal record preserved in the olivine zoning patterns reveal two mafic recharge events within months of each other (June and September 2006), and each of these magma supplies may have triggered the initiation of different eruptive cycles (July 14-24 and August 31-December 14). Correlation of these observations with gas monitoring data shows that the systematic rise of the CO/SO gas values is associated with the gradual (pre- and syn-eruptive) supply of batches of gas-rich mafic magma into segments of Etna's shallow plumbing system, where mixing with pre-existing and more evolved magma occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vesicles in pyroclasts provide a direct record of conduit conditions during explosive volcanic eruptions. Although their numbers and sizes are used routinely to infer aspects of eruption dynamics, vesicle shape remains an underutilized parameter. We have quantified vesicle shapes in pyroclasts from fall deposits of seven explosive eruptions of different styles, using the dimensionless shape factor $\Omega $, a measure of the degree of complexity of the bounding surface of an object. For each of the seven eruptions, we have also estimated the capillary number, Ca, from the magma expansion velocity through coupled diffusive bubble growth and conduit flow modeling. We find that $\Omega $ is smaller for eruptions with ${\rm{Ca}} \ll 1$ than for eruptions with Ca $\gg 1$. Consistent with previous studies, we interpret these results as an expression of the relative importance of structural changes during magma decompression and bubble growth, such as coalescence and shape relaxation of bubbles by capillary stresses. Among the samples analyzed, Strombolian and Hawaiian fire-fountain eruptions have ${\rm{Ca}} \ll 1$, in contrast to Vulcanian, Plinian, and ultraplinian eruptions. Interestingly, the basaltic Plinian eruptions of Tarawera volcano, New Zealand in 1886 and Mt. Etna, Italy in 122 BC, for which the cause of intense explosive activity has been controversial, are also characterized by ${\rm{Ca}} \gg 1$ and larger values of $\Omega $ than Strombolian and Hawaiian style (fire fountain) eruptions. We interpret this to be the consequence of syn-eruptive magma crystallization, resulting in high magma viscosity and reduced rates of bubble growth. Our model results indicate that during these basaltic Plinian eruptions, buildup of bubble overpressure resulted in brittle magma fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigated the relationship between the occurrence of earthquakes along the main volcano-tectonic structures and periods of volcanic unrest at Mt. Etna. We focused our study on the Pernicana Fault System (PFS), one of the most outstanding tectonic structures delineating the northern border of the sliding eastern flank of Etna volcano. During recent decades several flank eruptions have occurred at Mt. Etna and sometimes PFS released seismicity before the eruptive events, while in other cases there have been earthquakes that did not precede any eruption. To highlight a possible relation between PFS ruptures and volcanic unrest, we took into account the most energetic earthquakes (M≥3.5) occurring in the last three decades (1980–2010), and considered the volcano deformation sources previously inferred by inverting geodetic data recorded during the several flank eruptions in this time interval. The estimates of stress redistribution on the PFS due to different volcano sources, such as the magma storage, the dike intrusions and the sliding eastern flank, were studied by implementing 3D numerical models that also consider the presence of topography and medium heterogeneity. Our results show that the pressurization of an intermediate storage and the traction exerted by the eastern flank sliding contribute to the seismicity along the PFS even without preceding an immediate eruption. Instead, the seismicity along the PFS related to the intrusions inside the northern sector of the volcano would represent a potential early-warning for an impending eruption at Mt. Etna. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The physical integrity of a sub-volcanic basement is crucial in controlling the stability of a volcanic edifice. For many volcanoes, this basement can comprise thick sequences of carbonates that are prone to significant thermally-induced alteration. These debilitating thermal reactions, facilitated by heat from proximal magma storage volumes, promote the weakening of the rock mass and likely therefore encourage edifice instability. Such instability can result in slow, gravitational spreading and episodic to continuous slippage of unstable flanks, and may also facilitate catastrophic flank collapse. Understanding the propensity of a particular sub-volcanic basement to such instability requires a detailed understanding of the influence of high temperatures on the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of the rocks involved. The juxtaposition of a thick carbonate substratum and magmatic heat sources makes Mt. Etna volcano an ideal candidate for our study. We investigated experimentally the effect of temperature on two carbonate rocks that have been chosen to represent the deep, heterogeneous sedimentary substratum under Mt. Etna volcano. This study has demonstrated that thermal-stressing resulted in a progressive and significant change in the physical properties of the two rocks. Porosity, wet (i.e., water-saturated) dynamic Poisson''s ratio and wet Vp/Vs ratio all increased, whilst P- and S-wave velocities, bulk sample density, dynamic and static Young''s modulus, dry Vp/Vs ratio, and dry dynamic Poisson''s ratio all decreased. At temperatures of 800°C, the carbonate in these rocks completely dissociated, resulting in a total mass loss of about 45% and the release of about 44wt.% of CO2. Uniaxial deformation experiments showed that high in-situ temperatures (>500°C) significantly reduced the strength of the carbonates and altered their deformation behaviour. Above 500°C the rocks deformed in a ductile manner and the output of acoustic emissions was greatly reduced. We speculate that thermally-induced weakening and the ductile behaviour of the carbonate substratum could be a key factor in explaining the large-scale deformation observed at Mt. Etna volcano. Our findings are consistent with several field observations at Mt. Etna volcano and can quantitatively support the interpretation of (1) the irregularly low seismic velocity zones present within the sub-volcanic sedimentary basement, (2) the anomalously high CO2 degassing observed, (3) the anomalously high Vp/Vs ratios and the rapid migration of fluids, and (4) the increasing instability of volcanic edifices in the lifespan of a magmatic system. We speculate that carbonate sub-volcanic basement may emerge as one of the decisive fundamentals in controlling volcanic stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Volcanic CO2 degassing is considered the primary process that controls the global carbon cycle over geological timescales. However, fluxes of CO2 from individual volcanoes, in particular those in past activities, have been poorly constrained. One way to estimate the flux is by using the H2OCO2 systematics of melt inclusions, which, according to petrological studies, records fluxing of a deep-derived CO2-rich fluid in the deep to shallow-level crustal magmatic systems. Assuming that this fluid fluxing is the process of volcanic CO2 emission, we quantified the fluxes of CO2 by combining a fluid transport model with melt inclusion data. We formulated CO2 fluxing as an advective fluid flow in a basaltic magma column with exchanging volatiles, and applied it to the melt inclusion data from Mount Etna, the type locality of a CO2-emitting volcano. The flux of CO2 was calculated to be 2.4–6.0kt/day, which is consistent with the observed volcanic CO2 emission rate of 1–10kt/day. We propose that this method potentially provides a means to quantify CO2 emission rates in past volcanic activities. Because CO2 fluxing is an open-system process, the estimated CO2 emission over geological timescales evaluated with this method should give much higher values than evaluations based simply on the volume of the erupted magmas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we report four years of soil CO2 emission data measured monthly at 130 sites in two peripheral areas of Mt Etna Volcano that are well known for their high discharge rates of volcanic gas. We remove the influence of atmospheric parameters, and by means of statistical analyses, we (i) demonstrate that variations in CO2 emissions are due mainly to CO2 of a deep origin and (ii) quantify the total amounts of CO2 derived from a deep magma source. Periods of anomalous deep degassing are identified in both areas. A comparison of the timing of these anomalies and geophysical data indicates that the periods of anomalous degassing can be mostly ascribed to intrusions of fresh magma into the Etna plumbing system, which is in agreement with many previous works. Based on the existing literature, we formulate an interpretative framework of magma migration within the plumbing system, consistent with temporal trends in the observed anomalies. Finally, we reconstruct the processes of recent magma ascent at Mt Etna based on our interpretative framework, published geophysical data, and records of volcanic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The exceptional occurrence of fluorine-rich mineral phases in the benmoreitic lava dome of Mt. Calvario (south-western flank of Mt. Etna) has given the opportunity to understand the genetic process allowing their crystallization. Both primary and secondary mineral associations were found, namely: plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine, fluorapatite and iron oxides as primary assemblage, whereas fluoro-edenite and fluorophlogopite, ferroan-enstatite, hematite, pseudobrookite and tridymite as secondary mineralization. In addition to some major and trace elements (e.g., Fe, Ti, Na, K, P, Ba, Rb, Sm, Zr), particularly fluorine and chlorine concentrations of the whole rock are significantly higher than other Etnean prehistoric benmoreites, and cannot be accounted for common differentiation processes in the feeding system. The selective enrichment in some elements has been here attributed to volatile flushing occurring in the plumbing system, with fluid/melt ratio of ~0.65:1. The resulting high amount of fluorine, coupled with its high solubility even at low pressure for benmoreitic melts, finally led to nucleation and growth of F-rich mineral phases during syn- and post-eruptive conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Volcanic rock samples were systematically collected during the 2006 eruptive episodes at Mt. Etna. Major and trace elements, together with Sr–Pb isotope ratios, were then obtained on the whole rocks, for different times of emission and vent locations. On the same samples, selected plagioclase crystals were investigated through high-contrast BSE images and core-to-rim compositional profiles for An% and FeO wt.% were obtained. The major element variation through time suggests the involvement of a more basic magma, because MgO/FeOtot and CaO/Al2O3 ratios tend to increase from the beginning to the end of the eruption. This more basic magma was characterized by a peculiar geochemical and isotopic signature. This is testified by the negative trend of LREEs, some HFSEs (e.g., Nb, Zr, Y) and lead isotopes, together with increase of some incompatible element ratios (e.g., Rb/La, Zr/Nb) with respect to products erupted before. Concerning the plagioclase crystals, four main texture types were recognized at the core and rim, which indicate either near-equilibrium crystallization or disequilibrium accompanied by strong destabilization. These textures were attributed to: i) crystallization at equilibrium conditions at depth or within the open-conduit (two types of oscillatory zoning), ii) magma decompression at variable ascent rates (coarsely sieve-textures and dissolution at the core), iii) inputs of more basic magma (sieve-textured rims). All the available data, coupled with CO2/SO2 molar ratio measured in the gas plume obtained from literature, support the idea that the pulsating regime observed for the volcanic phenomena at the surface during the period July–December 2006 reflects the transient, rapid ascent of several CO2 bubble fluxes and/or CO2-rich magma batches from the deep to the shallow levels of the plumbing system. This integrated study has also led to the identification of the replenishment event during the eruption that allowed the ingress of the magma with distinct geochemical/isotopic signature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

At Mt. Etna volcano, the emission of plagioclase megacryst-bearing lavas, known locally as 'cicirara', has occurred rarely and generally in association with unusual volcanological phenomena. In this work, we interpret the magma chamber processes and the structural features of the plumbing system that led to the production of these peculiar volcanic rocks, based on a detailed study of plagioclase megacrysts, including their oscillatory zoning, sieve textures, and fluid inclusions. Patchy zoning suggests limited ascent in the deep levels of the plumbing system, based on the plagioclase nucleation threshold and the volatile saturation depth. At intermediate, water-undersaturated levels of the plumbing system ascent is faster, as indicated by crystals with coarse sieve textures. Storage at shallow, water-saturated levels (less than 6 km deep) is associated with oscillatory zoning with very small changes in An. Slightly larger An variations coupled with different wavelengths provide evidence of convection of crystals across distinct zones of the chamber. Stripes of melt inclusions formed at steps of magma ascent and volatile loss, whereas layers of fluid inclusions may be related to episodes of volatile flushing into the magma chamber. In contrast, strongly sieve-textured envelopes with An increase and constant FeO may be related to mixing with more volatile-rich magmas of similar composition. We interpret the repeated occurrence of 'cicirara' lavas as evidence that the shallow portion of the plumbing system underwent a progressive coalescence of a complex network of dykes and sills in response to increasing rates of magma supply from depth. Major magma withdrawals from this larger reservoir may be linked to episodes of summit instability associated with major caldera collapses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1989 and 2001, five eruptions at Etna displayed a regular alternation between repose periods and episodes rich in gas, termed quasi-fire fountains and consisting of a series of Strombolian explosions sometimes leading to a fire fountain. This behaviour results from the coalescence of a foam layer trapped at the top of the reservoir which was periodically rebuilt prior to each episode (Vergniolle and Jaupart, J Geophys Res 95:2793-2809, ). Visual observations of fire fountains are combined with the foam dynamics to estimate the five degassing parameters characteristic of the degassing reservoir, i.e. the number of bubbles, gas volume fraction, bubble diameter, reservoir thickness and reservoir volume. The study of decadal cycles of eruptive patterns (Allard et al., Earth Sci Rev 78:85-114, ) suggests that the first eruption with fire fountains occurred in 1995 while the last one happened in 2001. The number of bubbles and the gas volume fraction increase smoothly from the beginning of the cycle (1995) to its end (2001). The increasing number of bubbles per cubic metre, from 0.61-20×10 to 0.1-3.4×10, results from cooling of the magma within the reservoir. The simultaneously decreasing bubble diameter, from 0.67-0.43 to 0.30-0.19 mm, is related to the decreasing amount of dissolved volatiles. Meanwhile, the thickness and the volume of the degassing reservoir diminish, from values typical of the magma reservoir to values characteristic of a very thin bubbly layer, marking the quasi-exhaustion of volatiles. The magma reservoir has a slender vertical shape, with a maximum thickness of 3,300-8,200 m and a radius of 240 m (Vergniolle ), making its detection from seismic studies difficult. Its volume, at most 0.58-1.4 km, is in agreement with geochemical studies (0.5 km) (Le Cloarec and Pennisi, J Volcanol Geotherm Res 108:141-155, ). The time evolution of both the total gas volume expelled per eruption, and the inter-eruptive gas flux results from the competition between the increasing number of bubbles and the decreasing bubble diameter. The smooth temporal evolution of the five degassing parameters also points towards bubbles being produced by a self-induced mechanism within the magma reservoir rather than by a magmatic reinjection prior to each eruption. The decadal cycles are therefore initiated by a magmatic reinjection, in agreement with a typical return time of 14-80 years (Albarède ). Hence, the 1995 eruption results from a fresh magma being newly emplaced while the magma from the following eruptions is progressively depleted in volatiles species until reaching a state of quasi-exhaustion in 2001. A magmatic reinjection of 0.13-0.6 km every few decades is sufficient to explain the expelled gas volume, including SO. A scenario is also proposed for the alternation between gas-rich summit eruptions and gas-poor flank eruptions which are observed during decadal cycles. The scenario proposed for Etna could also be at work at Piton de la Fournaise and Erta 'Ale volcanoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mount Etna volcano (Italy) during the period 2001-2005 has undergone a period of intense eruptive activity marked by three large eruptions (2001, 2002-2003 and 2004-2005). These eruptions encompassed diverse eruptive styles and regimes: from intensely explosive, during 2001 and 2002-2003 eruptions, to exclusively effusive in the 2004-2005 event. In this work, we put forward the idea that these three eruptions are the response of the progressive arrival into the uppermost segment of the open-conduit system of a new magma, which was geochemically distinct in terms of trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope signature from the products previously emitted by the Etnean volcano. The magma migrated upwards mainly through a peripheral tectonic system, which can be considered as eccentric in spite of its relative proximity to the main system. The ingress of the new magma and its gradual displacement from the eccentric system into the uppermost sector of the open-conduit gave rise to different eruptive behaviours. At the beginning, the ascent of the undegassed magma, able to exsolve a gas phase at depth, and its interaction with closed-system magma reservoirs less than 10 km deep gave rise to the explosive events of 2001 and 2002-2003. Later, when the same magma entered into the open-conduit system, it took part in the steady-state degassing and partially lost its volatile load, leading to a totally effusive eruption during the 2004-2005 event. One further consideration highlighted here is that in 2001-2005, migration of the feeding axis from an eccentric and peripheral position towards the main open-conduit has led to the development of a new vent (South East Crater 2) located at the eastern base of the South East Crater through which most of the subsequent Etnean activity occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mt. Etna, in Sicily (Italy) is well known for frequent effusive and explosive eruptions from both its summit and flanks. South-East Crater (SE Crater), one of the four summit craters, has been the most active in the last 20 years and often produces episodic lava fountains over periods lasting from a few weeks to months. The most striking of such eruptive phases was in 2000. Sixty four lava fountains, separated by quiescent intervals and sometimes associated with lava overflows, occurred that year between January and June, a time period during which we consider the volcano to have been in episodic eruption. This paper presents mainly results of petrochemical investigations carried out on both tephra and lavas collected during a number of the lava fountain episodes in 2000. The new data have been integrated with volcanological and seismic information in order to correlate the features of the eruptive activity with magma-gas dynamics in the plumbing system of SE Crater. The main findings allow us to characterise the 2000 episodic eruption in the framework of the recent SE Crater activity. In particular, we infer that the onset of the 2000 eruption was triggered by the ascent of new, more primitive and volatile-rich magma that progressively intruded into the SE Crater reservoir, where it mixed with the resident, more evolved magma. Furthermore, we argue that the 2000 SE Crater lava fountains largely resulted from the instability of a foam layer accumulated at the top of the underlying reservoir and rebuilt prior to each episode, in agreement with the collapsing foam model for lava fountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our ability to monitor volcanoes (using seismic signals, ground deformation, gas fluxes, or other ground and satellite based observations) as well as our understanding of melt reservoirs that feed eruptions have evolved tremendously in recent years. The complex plumbing systems that are thought to feed eruptions are, however, difficult to relate to the monitoring signals. Here we show that the record preserved in compositional zoning of erupted minerals may be used to reconstruct sections of the plumbing system. Kinetic modeling of such zoning can yield information on the residence time of magma in different segments of the plumbing systems. This allows a more nuanced evaluation of the link between observed monitoring signals or eruption styles and the magmatic processes and movement of batches of melts at depth. The approach is illustrated through a study of the compositional zoning recorded in olivine crystals from the 1991–1993 SE-flank eruption products of Mt. Etna (Sicily). The zoning patterns in crystals reveal that the plumbing system of the volcano consisted of at least three different magmatic environments between which magma was transported and mixed in the year or two preceding the start of eruption. Quantification of this history indicates that two main pathways of melt migration and three timescales dominated the dynamics of the system. Combination of this information with the timing of observation of various monitoring signals allows a reconstruction of the dynamic evolution of this section of the plumbing system during the early stages of the 1991–1993 eruption. It is seen, for example, how the migration of melt through the same sections of the plumbing system can cause pre-eruptive triggering, enhance Strombolian activity, and through the ensuing eruption cleanse and flush the plumbing system. Different kinds of mixing occur simultaneously at different sections of the plumbing system on different timescales (a few days up to two years). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Using Etna as a case study location, we examine the balance between the volume of magma supplied to the shallow volcanic system (using ground-based SO2 data) and the volume erupted (using satellite thermal data). We do this for three eruptions of Mt. Etna (Italy) during 2002 to 2006. We find that, during the three eruptions, 2.3×107 m3 or 24% of the degassed volume remained unerupted. However, variations in the degree of partitioning between supplied (Vsupply) and erupted (Verupt) magma occur within individual eruptions over the time scales of days. Consequently, we define and quantify three types of partitioning. In the first case, Vsupply Verupt, i.e. less lava is erupted than is supplied. In such a case, magma can erupt in an explosive manner, as occurred during Phase II of the 2002–2003 eruption, or remain within or below the edifice. In the third case, Vsupply =Verupt, i.e. all supplied magma is erupted. During 2002–2006, over a total of 280days of eruptive activity, this balancing case applied to 50% of the time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present a 3D numerical model based on Finite Element Method (FEM) to jointly evaluate geophysical changes caused by dislocation and overpressure sources in volcanic areas. A coupled numerical problem was solved to estimate ground deformation, gravity and magnetic changes produced by stress redistribution accompanying magma migration within the volcano edifice. We successfully applied the integrated numerical procedure to image the magmatic intrusion occurring in the northern flank of Etna during the onset of the 2008 eruption. A multi-layered crustal structure of the volcano constrained by geological models and geophysical data was considered. Geodetic and gravity data provide information on the strain field, while piezomagnetic changes give constraints on the stress field. Therefore, the integrated modeling gives insights on Mt Etna rheology and dike overpressure involved in the magma propagation and improves understanding of dike emplacement in the northern sector of the volcano. Our FEM-based approach improves the reliability of model-based inference of geophysical parameters obtained during monitoring of the onset of Etna lateral intrusions that can prelude to an impending eruption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A long recharging period characterized Mount Etna volcano during 1993–2000 before the main explosive–effusive 2001 and 2002–2003 flank eruptions. The joint analysis of ground deformation and gravity data over the recharge period reveals that different phenomena occurred within Etna''s plumbing system and clearly indicates two phases spanning 1993–1997 and 1997–2000, respectively. The first phase was characterized by magma storage and accumulation at an intermediate depth (2–6km below sea level), which provoked overall inflation and positive gravity changes. During the second phase, the magma started to rise and intrude at shallower levels favoring the movement of the unstable eastern flank, which accelerated its sliding toward the East. The shallower magma accumulation also caused the gas exsolution, associated with increasing explosive activity at the summit craters. Negative gravity changes were detected during this phase. The gravity measurements, independent of the same result obtained by geochemical studies, suggest that only 20–30% of the magma volumes supplied in the plumbing system were then erupted. The complex dynamics of rising magma beneath Mount Etna makes ground deformation and gravity measurements complementary, being able to detect different effects of magma emplacements beneath the surface. Our results also highlight how the joint use of ground deformation and gravity observations may be crucial in identifying the nature and rate of an impending period of volcanic eruptions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-precision Hf isotopic data for selected historic (pre-1971 eruption) and recent (post-1971) Etnean lavas are discussed in light of their covariation with previously reported Sr–Nd–Pb isotope ratios. 176Hf/177Hf ranges between 0.282961 and 0.282989 in the historic lavas, and between 0.282943 and 0.282990 in the recent ones, displaying, especially among the most recently erupted products, an overall decrease. In Hf–Nd and, to a minor extent, Hf–Sr–Pb isotope spaces, Etnean lavas plot slightly below the linear array defined by MORB and OIB, between the enriched end of the FOZO and HIMU fields. This may suggest that, prior to the formation of Etnean melts, the garnet-bearing source experienced an episode of low-degree melting; this source then evolved for enough time to produce the 176Hf/177Hf and 143Nd/144Nd decoupling observed in the historic and recent lavas. In addition, the distinct εHf values of the historic and recent lavas may be accounted for by portions of the mantle with distinct Lu/Hf ratios, likely related to decreasing modal proportions of garnet in favour of metasomatic phases involved in partial melting. Integration of all the available data suggests that FOZO is the dominant component in the source of Etnean magmas, although this is not enough to solve the observed 176Hf/177Hf change coupled with the Sr–Nd–Pb variation through time. Binary mixing between FOZO and EM-type components demonstrates that addition of about 10% of an EM1-type component to FOZO can account for the isotopic variability of Etnean magmas, a feature more emphasized in the most recent lavas. Divergences from a dominant FOZO signature of erupted magmas at Mt. Etna may therefore be attributed to small-scale heterogeneity produced by access into the source of enriched material with an EM1-type signature. The coupled analysis of 176Hf/177Hf and trace element ratios, such as Sm/Hf and Th/Hf, provides evidence that this enriched infiltrating component could be metasomatizing silicate melts rather than aqueous, low-T fluids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We measured volcanic gas emissions from the northeast crater (NEC) and central crater (CC) of Mount Etna on 21st July 2008, and 3rd and 31st August 2009, using a novel, lightweight open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (OP-FTIR) in active mode with a portable infrared lamp. Contemporaneously we measured the SO2 flux of the total gas emission released by the combined summit craters 14km downwind and the SO2 flux emitted by the NEC measured at the summit. Combining these data we determined the flux of the major volcanic components H2O, CO2, SO2, HCl and HF emitted individually from CC and NEC craters. The results reveal similar SO2/HCl ratios but distinct CO2/SO2 ratios (1.3 and 10.9 for NEC and CC, respectively) and an order of magnitude greater CO2 flux from the CC compared with the NEC. A simple model in which the NEC branches from a central feeding conduit at a depth of ~2km can reproduce these observations. We highlight that in such a system short-term variations in CO2/SO2 ratios at each crater can occur due to minor variations in the magma/gas flux entering each conduit at the branch, without an overall change in magma supply. CO2/SO2 variations measured at individual craters may therefore be unrepresentative of the volcanic system and require cautious interpretation. Monitoring of the total CO2 and SO2 fluxes emitted from each crater is, on the contrary, an optimal monitoring strategy and can be achieved using a combination of CO2/SO2 instruments and SO2 imaging cameras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigated the geochemistry of the fumaroles at the summit area of Mt. Etna, including sulfur speciation and the content of acidic gases. The carbon-isotope composition of the Etnean plume was also measured in order to compare it to that of fumaroles. Two types of fumaroles were identified: (i) low-temperature fumaroles, which are dominated by CO2 with minor amounts of SO2 and H2S, and negligible chlorine contents, and (ii) high-temperature fumaroles, which are strongly air-contaminated and characterized by appreciable amounts of volcanogenic carbon, sulfur, and chlorine. As recognized by , both groups of fumaroles are fed by the degassing of an underlying magma; nevertheless, compositional data clearly show that secondary processes affect the composition of the fluids once they leave the magma body. Here a model of cooling and condensation of fluids is proposed to explore such postmagmatic processes. The model, which uses Etnean plume geochemistry as starting composition of fluids exsolved from magma, shows that SO2 and H2S control the redox conditions of the gas mixture during the cooling, until the reactions involving CO/CO2 and H2/H2O ratios are fully quenched at temperatures around 350–450°C. The dissolution of gases in water, subsequent to condensation, must occur at thermobaric conditions over 50bar and 260°C, which allows (a) total removal of HCl, (b) partial removal of sulfur species while preserving the SO2/H2S ratio, and (c) the C/S ratio to increase by almost 10-fold relative to that in the plume. The observed CH4/CO2 ratios are higher than those calculated for the Etnean magmatic gas, and hence they provide evidence of modest contributions from peripheral hydrothermal fluids during the migration of magmatic gases toward the surface in both low- and high-temperature fumaroles. Due to the peculiar thermodynamic conditions, the model predicts that carbon isotopes do not experience any postmagmatic fractionation, and hence the isotopic composition of the fumaroles is representative of magmatic carbon. Measurements of the carbon-isotope composition of the plume corroborate these findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Short period (e.g. <1 h) variations in lava effusion rate have been detected previously on Mount Etna, Sicily, but the causes and effects of such changes are poorly understood because of difficulties in obtaining suitably high frequency measurements over long periods. Here, we report short period flux variations in active lava flows, recorded in dense time series imagery over a 7-night period using modified remote trail cameras. The sequences of night-time images show significant pulses of enhanced incandescence, interpreted as short period increases in lava flux, travelling down-channel at velocities of ∼10–20 m min−1. Pulse generation decreased from an average of one pulse per hour on the first night to approximately one per night within a few nights. Effusion rate changes on these timescales are considered to reflect instabilities in magma ascent and, consequently, could provide insight into subsurface flow processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large variations of the CO2 flux through the soil were observed between November 2002 and January 2006 at Mt. Etna volcano. In many cases, the CO2 flux was strongly influenced by changes in air temperature and atmospheric pressure. A new filtering method was then developed to remove the atmospheric influences on soil CO2 flux and, at the same time, to highlight the variations strictly related to volcanic activity. Successively, the CO2 corrected data were quantitatively compared with the spectral amplitude of the volcanic tremor by cross correlation function, cross-wavelet spectrum and wavelet coherence. These analyses suggested that the soil CO2 flux variations preceded those of volcanic tremor by about 50 days. Given that volcanic tremor is linked to the shallow (a few kilometer) magma dynamics and soil CO2 flux related to the deeper (~12 km b.s.l.) magma dynamics, the “delayed similarity” between the CO2 flux and the volcanic tremor amplitude was used to assess the average speed in the magma uprising into the crust, as about 170–260 m per day. Finally, the large amount of CO2 released before the onset of the 2004–2005 eruption indicated a deep ingression of new magma, which might have triggered such an eruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Extensive geochemical surveys were carried out on the Western flank of Mt. Etna volcano for the determination of soil CO2 effluxes, in order to study the relationship between soil gas anomalies, faults and volcanic activity. The areas of Santa Maria di Licodia (SML) and W-Rift (WR) were selected, because of their importance within the volcano-tectonic framework of Etna. Two gas surveys were performed in each area in different periods (November 2005 and May 2006 in SML, September 2007 and June 2008 in WR), with 2140 measurements in total. In each survey, data were log-normally distributed and were statistically different from the other surveys, therefore their standard normal form was used to compare them. Log probability plots revealed five populations of data in each survey, due to varying degrees of mixing between biogenic and magmatic CO2, and indicated anomalous CO2 effluxes for values >36gm− 2 d− 1. Magmatic output was 39.2td− 1 in November 2005, 15.8td− 1 in May 2006, 98.4td− 1 in September 2007 and 234.1td− 1 in June 2008. Natural Neighbor interpolation of standardized data produced distribution maps that showed some clustering of anomalous values along directions possibly related to hidden faults compatible with volcanic or regional structural trends. Analysis of magmatic CO2 emissions in time suggested a possible influence from seasonal variations, but comparison with volcanic activity of Etna also indicated a volcanic influence accompanying the 2008–2009 flank eruption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We studied the stress effects of the topography load on dike propagation by considering the results from analogue experiments; in addition, we refined the results by applying numerical simulations using the finite element method (FEM) in order to also consider the medium rheology and real topography. We investigated the dike deflection observed during the final dike emplacement accompanying Etna''s 2001 eruption. We cross-related the information on the position of the dike from ground deformation modelling with the numerical simulation results with the aim of estimating the final excess pressure of the dike when it started to deflect, which proved to be about 4–8MPa. Assuming that the pressure decreases linearly with the volume of magma moving from the chamber into the dike, we estimated 7–15MPa as the initial overpressure accumulated at the intermediate magma chamber before its breakout. Although the previous modelling overestimated the stress, the approach presented here leads to infer a compatible stress with the strength of the rocks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A systematic study of textural and compositional zoning (An% and FeO variation) in plagioclase phenocrysts of historic (pre-1971) and recent (post-1971) lavas at Mount Etna was made through back-scattered electron (BSE) images and electron microprobe analyses (EMP). The textures considered include oscillatory zoning and several types of dissolution, resorption and growth textures at the phenocryst cores and/or rims. Two patterns of oscillation were recognized from the combined An–FeO variation: 1) Low Amplitude–High Frequency (LAHF) and 2) High Amplitude–Low Frequency (HALF). The first pattern is interpreted here as due to kinetic effects at the plagioclase/melt interface which developed during crystallization in closed reservoirs. The second, which sometimes involves thin dissolution surfaces marked by irregular edges, angular unconformities and complex dissolution–regrowth patterns, might imply crystallization in a more dynamic regime, probably driven by chemical and physical gradients of the system (e.g., convection in a steadily degassing open-conduit). Dissolution and resorption textures at the core vary from patchy (exclusive to plagioclases within pre-1971 lavas) to strongly sieved, and can be related to increasing rates of decompression under H2O-undersaturated conditions. Thick sieve-textured envelopes at the phenocryst rims, generally coupled with marked An–FeO increase, result from mixing with more primitive and volatile-rich magmas. In the same crystals from recent activity, An and, to a lesser extent, FeO increase, consistent with the mixing of H2O-rich magmas similar in their mafic character to the resident magma (cryptic mixing). Two types of growth textures were also recognized at the crystal rims: 1) stripes of regularly-shaped melt inclusions and 2) swallow-tailed, skeletal crystals. In the first instance, the concordant An–FeO decrease suggests crystallization caused by fast ascent-related decompression accompanied by volatile loss. In the second, An decrease at effectively constant FeO contents may indicate crystallization at a high level of undercooling from already degassed magma, followed by rapid quenching; such a feature might be acquired during syn- or post-eruptive conditions. Although textures found in historic lavas are rather similar to those in the recent ones, some differences occur, such as lack of crystals with patchy cores in recent products and lower An contents in crystals of historic ones. The available data allowed us to obtain information on the dynamics of the feeding system, highlighting their possible modifications over time. In particular, historically erupted magmas, generally acknowledged to be volatile-poor, may have ascended through the deep portions of the plumbing system under H2O-undersaturated conditions at lower rates than the recent ones, recognized as more volatile-rich. Eruption triggering mechanisms from closed reservoirs in the shallow portions of the feeding system are similar for both historic and recent events, and may be generally favoured by a recharging phase of more primitive, undegassed magma or by a few episodes of important fracture opening (e.g., in response to an earthquake swarm). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract  The explosive behavior and the rheology of lavas in basaltic volcanoes, usually driven by differentiation, can also be significantly affected by the kinetics of magma degassing in the upper portion of the feeding system. The complex eruption of 2001 at Mt. Etna, Italy, was marked by two crucial phenomena that occurred at the Laghetto vent on the southern flank of the volcano: 1) intense explosive activity and 2) at the end of the eruption, emission of a lava flow with higher viscosity than flows previously emitted from the same vent. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that these events were driven by the injection of volatile-rich magma into the feeding system. The input and mixing of this magma into a reservoir containing more evolved magma had the twofold effect of increasing 1) the overall concentration of volatiles and 2) their exsolution with consequent efficient vesiculation and degassing. This led to an explosive stage of the eruption, which produced a ~75-m-high cinder cone. Efficient volatile loss and the consequent increase of the liquidus temperature brought about the nucleation of Fe-oxides and other anhydrous crystalline phases, which significantly increased the magma viscosity in the upper part of the conduit, leading to the emission of a high viscosity lava flow that ended the eruption. The 2001 eruption has offered the opportunity to investigate the important role that input of volatile-rich magma may exert in controlling not only the geochemical features of erupted lavas but also the eruption dynamics. These results present a new idea for interpreting similar eruptions in other basaltic volcanoes and explaining eruptions with uncommonly high explosivity when only basic magmas are involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Mount Etna volcano erupted almost simultaneously on its northeastern and southern flanks between October 27 and November 3, 2002. The eruption on the northeastern flank lasted for 8 days, while on the southern flank it continued for 3 months. The northeastern flank eruption was characterized by the opening of a long eruptive fracture system between 2,900 and 1,900 m.a.s.l. A detailed survey indicates that the fractures’ direction shifted during the opening from N10W (at the NE Crater, 2,900 m) to N45E (at its lowest portion, 1,900 m) and that distinct magma groups were erupted at distinct fracture segments. Based on their petrological features, three distinct groups of rocks have been identified. The first group, high-potassium porphyritic (HKP), is made up of porphyritic lavas with a Porphyritic Index (P.I.) of 20–32 and K2O content higher than 2 wt%. The second group is represented by lavas and tephra with low modal phenocryst abundance (P.I. 2O content higher than 2 wt% (HKO, high-potassium oligophyric). The third group, low-potassium oligophyric (LKO), consists of tephra with oligophyric texture (P.I. 2O content [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Partitioning experiments between a basaltic melt from Mt. Etna and a low-density hydrous fluid or vapor containing H2O or H2O–CO2 were performed at 1200–1260 °C, at pressures between 1 and 200 MPa, either near the nickel–nickel oxide (NNO) buffer or at two log units above it (NNO+2), and with different chloride concentrations. Most of the experiments were done at chloride-brine-undersaturated conditions, although at the highest Cl concentrations explored brine saturation might have been reached. The average partition coefficients (D Cl fluid/melt) over the range of Cl concentrations were derived on a weight basis by plotting the calculated concentrations of Cl in the fluid phase versus the measured ones in the melt. For H2O–Cl experiments in which the Cl concentration in the melt was ≤0.4 wt.%, a negative dependence between D Cl f/m and pressure is observed. D Cl fluid/melt in H2O+Cl-bearing experiments ranges between 11–14 at 1 and 25 MPa to 6 at 200 MPa at NNO; and between 4 at 50 MPa and 13 at 100 MPa at ΔNNO≥2. Addition of CO2 at NNO yields lower partition coefficients than in CO2-free conditions over the pressure range investigated. The negative pressure dependence observed for H2O–Cl experiments disappears when CO2 is present in the system. Overall, once CO2 is introduced in the system, Cl fugacity in the silicate melt tends to increase, thus resulting in a decrease of D Cl f/m. Application to Mt. Etna shows that the composition of the volcanic plume in terms of Cl records very shallow pressures of magma equilibration with its exsolved fluid. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

At Mount Etna, Italy, vigorous gas-rich eruptions in A.D. 2001, 2002, and 2003 were followed by gas-poor eruptions in 2004, 2006, and 2007. Analyses of volatile (CO2, H2O, S, Cl, F), semivolatile (Cu), and involatile (Nb, La) elements trapped in olivine-hosted melt inclusions from these latest eruptions reveal the effects of the sustained interaction between a percolating gas phase and the stored magma. Melt inclusion compositions indicate that magmas erupted from 2004 to 2007 were residual from the 2001-2003 eruptions, and show significant evolution in the volatile content of the melt. These melt inclusion observations, and variations in the C/S of volcanic gases, can be accounted for if melts reequilibrated with CO2-rich gases during storage and prior to entrapment as melt inclusions. Sustained gas percolation caused loss of water and enhancement of CO2 in the evolving melt and may strongly influence the behavior of Cu, which potentially partitions into the gas phase. Vapor-melt interactions during magma storage are important controls on magma evolution at persistently degassing volcanoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigate the relationship between changes of the gravity field and the release of the seismic energy at Mt. Etna over a 12-year period (1994–2006), during which the volcano exhibited different eruptive patterns. Over the two sub-periods when intense gravity decreases occur, centered on the upper southeastern sector of the volcano (late-1996 to mid-1999 and late-2000 to mid-2001), the strain release curve displays neat long-term accelerations, with many hypocenters clustered in the volume containing the gravity source. Various evidences suggest that, since 1994 and until the breakout of the 2001 eruption, the eastern flank of Etna remained peripheral to the lines of rise of the magma from the deep storage to the surface. Accordingly, we hypothesize that, rather than being directly associated to the migration of the magma, the joint anomalies we found image phases of higher tensile stress on the upper southeastern sector, associated to increase in the rate of microfracturing along the NNW–SSE fracture zone. Such an increase implies a local density (gravity) decrease, and an increase in the release of seismic energy, thus explaining the correlation we observe. The second period of gravity decrease/strain release increase culminated in the breakout of the 2001 flank eruption, as a pressurized deeper magma accumulation used the inferred zone of increasing microfracturing as a path to the surface. This eruption marks an important modification in the structure of Etna''s plumbing system, as also testified by the absence of post-2001 long-term gravity changes and accelerations in the strain release curve and the neat modification of the seismicity and ground deformation patterns. We prove that joint microgravity and seismic studies can allow zones of the medium experiencing an increase in the rate of microfracturing to be identified months to years before a magma batch is conveyed through them to the surface, setting off a lateral eruption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mt. Etna in Sicily (Italy) is one of the best monitored basaltic volcanoes in the world due to the frequent eruptions from its summit and flanks. Routine monitoring carried out by Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania, for surveillance purposes permits following the evolution of volcanic events. In this paper, a description of the ash monitoring system as occurred during the August–December 2006 summit eruption at the Southeast Crater (SEC) is shown. This eruption was characterized by lava flow effusions and vigorous Strombolian activity. Eighteen paroxysmal episodes occurred up to the end of November, forming weak ash plumes accompanied by moderate tephra fallout over Etna''s slopes. During these events, we applied a multidisciplinary approach to promptly monitor the paroxysmal activity and the associated tephra fallout, through analysis from seismic tremor and observation from live-cameras, sampling operations, mapping and analysis of the deposit. During the most significant episodes, we carried out textural and grain-size analysis on tephra samples and evaluated the total grain-size deposit and the erupted volume, while numerical simulations of tephra dispersal allowed better understanding eruptive dynamics. An example of this methodology is applied to the 16 November episode, during which seismic tremor furnished important constraints on the chronology. This paroxysmal eruption produced light fallout on the north-east sector of the volcano for about ten hours and a number of debris-avalanches over the slopes of the SEC cone. The erupted deposit was composed for the most part of lithic components and characterized by a total-size distribution centered on 2.2 Φ, while its total mass was evaluated 7×106 kg. On the whole, such integrated studies help to obtain information on magma fragmentation and eruptive mechanisms, to characterize the explosive styles shown by Etna and finally, to better approach the monitoring of imminent eruptions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The 2002–03 flank eruption of Etna was characterized by two months of explosive activity that produced copious ash fallout, constituting a major source of hazard and damage over all eastern Sicily. Most of the tephra were erupted from vents at 2750 and 2800 m elevation on the S flank of the volcano, where different eruptive styles alternated. The dominant style of explosive activity consisted of discrete to pulsing magma jets mounted by wide ash plumes, which we refer to as ash-rich jets and plumes. Similarly, ash-rich explosive activity was also briefly observed during the 2001 flank eruption of Etna, but is otherwise fairly uncommon in the recent history of Etna. Here, we describe the features of the 2002–03 explosive activity and compare it with the 2001 eruption in order to characterize ash-rich jets and plumes and their transition with other eruptive styles, including Strombolian and ash explosions, mainly through chemical, componentry and morphology investigations of erupted ash. Past models explain the transition between different styles of basaltic explosive activity only in terms of flow conditions of gas and liquid. Our findings suggest that the abundant presence of a solid phase (microlites) may also control vent degassing and consequent magma fragmentation and eruptive style. In fact, in contrast with the Strombolian or Hawaiian microlite-poor, fluidal, sideromelane clasts, ash-rich jets and plumes produce crystal-rich tachylite clasts with evidence of brittle fragmentation, suggesting that high groundmass crystallinity of the very top part of the magma column may reduce bubble movement while increasing fragmentation efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In September 2002, a series of tectonic earthquakes occurred north of Sicily, Italy, followed by three events of volcanic unrest within 150 km. On 28 October 2002, Mount Etna erupted; on 3 November 2002, submarine degassing occurred near Panarea Island; and on 28 December 2002, Stromboli Island erupted. All of these events were considered unusual: the Mount Etna northeast-rift eruption was the largest in 55 yr; the Panarea degassing was one of the strongest ever detected there; and the Stromboli eruption, which produced a landslide and tsunami, was the largest effusive eruption in 17 yr. Here we investigate the synchronous occurrence of these clustered events, and develop a possible explanatory model. We compute short-term earthquake-induced dynamic strain changes and compare them to long-term tectonic effects. Results suggest that the earthquake-induced strain changes exceeded annual tectonic strains by at least an order of magnitude. This agitation occurred in seconds, and may have induced fluid and gas pressure migration within the already active hydrothermal and magmatic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Geological surveys, tephrostratigraphic study, and 40Ar/39Ar age determinations have allowed us to chronologically constrain the geological evolution of the lower NW flank of Etna volcano and to reconstruct the eruptive style of the Mt Barca flank eruption. This peripheral sector of the Mt Etna edifice, corresponding to the upper Simeto valley, was invaded by the Ellittico volcano lava flows between 41 and 29 ka ago when the Mt Barca eruption occurred. The vent of this flank eruption is located at about 15 km away from the summit craters, close to the town of Bronte. The Mt Barca eruption was characterized by a vigorous explosive activity that produced pyroclastic deposits dispersed eastward and minor effusive activity with the emission of a 1.1-km-long lava flow. Explosive activity was characterized by a phreatomagmatic phase followed by a magmatic one. The geological setting of this peripheral sector of the volcano favors the interaction between the rising magma and the shallow groundwater hosted in the volcanic pile resting on the impermeable sedimentary basement. This process produced phreatomagmatic activity in the first phase of the eruption, forming a pyroclastic fall deposit made of high-density, poorly vesicular scoria lapilli and lithic clasts. Conversely, during the second phase, a typical strombolian fall deposit formed. In terms of hazard assessment, the possible occurrence of this type of highly explosive flank eruption, at lower elevation in the densely inhabited areas, increases the volcanic risk in the Etnean region and widens the already known hazard scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During 1999, the volcanic activity at Mt. Etna was both explosive and effusive at the summit craters: Strombolian activity, lava fountains and lava flows affected different areas of the volcano, involving three of the four summit craters. Results from analysis of the 1999 volcanic tremor features are shown at two different time scales. First, the long-term time variation of the features of the volcanic tremor (including spectral and polarization parameters), during the entire year, was compared with the evolution of the eruptive activity. This approach demonstrated the good agreement between tremor data and observed eruptive activity; the activation of different tremor sources was suggested. Then, a more refined analysis of the volcanic tremor, recorded during 14 lava fountain eruptions, was performed. In particular, a shift of the dominant frequencies towards lower values was noted which corresponds with increasing explosive activity. Similar behaviour in the frequency content has already been observed in other explosive eruptions at Mt. Etna as well as on other volcanoes. This behaviour has been explained in terms of either an increase in the tremor source dimension or a decrease in the sound speed in the magma within the conduit. These results confirm that the volcanic tremor is a powerful tool for better understanding the physical processes controlling explosive eruptions at Mt. Etna volcano. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During 2001–2005, Mount Etna was characterized by intense eruptive activity involving the emission of petrologically different products from several vents, which involved at least two types of magma with different degrees of evolution. We investigated the ratios and abundances for noble-gas isotopes in fluid inclusions trapped in olivines and pyroxenes in the erupted products. We confirm that olivine has the most efficient crystalline structure for preserving the pristine composition of entrapped gases, while pyroxene can suffer diffusive He loss. Both the minerals also experience noble gas air contamination after eruption. Helium isotopes of the products genetically linked to the two different magmas fall in the isotopic range typical of the Etnean volcanism. This result is compatible with the metasomatic process that the Etnean mantle is undergoing by fluids from the Ionian slab during the last ten kyr, as previously inferred by isotope and trace element geochemistry. Significant differences were also observed among olivines of the same parental magma that erupted throughout 2001–2005, with 3He/4He ratios moving from about 7.0 Ra in 2001 volcanites, to 6.6 Ra in 2004–2005 products. Changes in He abundances and isotope ratios were attributed to variations in protracted degassing of the same magma bodies from the 2001 to the 2004–2005 events, with the latter lacking any contribution of undegassed magma. The decrease in 3He/4He is similar to that found from measurements carried out every fifteen days during the same period in gases discharged at the periphery of the volcano. To our knowledge this is the first time that such a comparison has been performed so in detail, and provides strong evidence of the real-time feeding of peripheral emissions by magmatic degassing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study we discuss the relationship between the in-soil radon concentration and the effective stress variation at Mt. Etna volcano in the period January 2003–April 2005. The acquired radon concentration trend was compared with the one obtained by the b-value variation analysis in the frequency–magnitude relationship for earthquakes that occurred at Mt. Etna volcano (Sicily) during the investigation period. The b-value calculated using both the maximum likelihood and the least square methods shows a similar trend and, in particular, an increase starting a few months before the 7th September 2004 eruption and a decrease during the following 9 months. A similar trend was recorded during 2003 when a recharging magma phase of the volcano occurred. Results obtained by studying the b-value trend and the comparison with in-soil radon concentration are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is generally accepted, but not experimentally proven, that a quantitative prediction of volcanic eruptions is possible from the evaluation of volcanic gas data. By discussing the results of two years of real-time observation of H2O, CO2, and SO2 in volcanic gases from Mount Etna volcano, we unambiguously demonstrate that increasing CO2/SO2 ratios can allow detection of the pre-eruptive degassing of rising magmas. Quantitative modeling by the use of a saturation model allows us to relate the pre-eruptive increases of the CO2/SO2 ratio to the refilling of Etna's shallow conduits with CO2-rich deep-reservoir magmas, leading to pressurization and triggering of eruption. The advent of real-time observations of H2O, CO2, and SO2, combined with well-constrained models of degassing, represents a step forward in eruption forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volcanic hazard potential of Mount Etna volcano is currently nourished by long- lasting, powerful eruptions of basaltic magmas coupled with increased seismicity and ground deformation, and the world's largest discharge of volcanic gases. The current evolutionary cycle of Mount Etna activity is consistent with subduction-related chemical modifications of the mantle source. Arrival of a new mantle-derived magma batch beneath the volcano has been hypothesized, but is still elusive among the erupted products. Here we demonstrate petrological and geochemical affinities between the magmas supplying modern eruptions and high-Mg, fall-stratified (FS) basalts ejected violently ~4 k.y. ago. The ES primitive magmas (~13 wt% MgO) are characteristically volatile enriched (at least 3.8 wt% H2O and 3300 ppm CO2), and bear a trace element signature of a garnet-bearing, metasomatized source (high Gd/Yb, K/La, U/Nb, Pb/Ce, Ca/Al). They started crystallizing olivine (Fo91), clinopyroxene (Mg# 92.5), and Cr spinel deep in the plumbing system (>5 kbar), contributing to the cumulate piles at depth and to differentiated alkaline basalt and trachybasalt magmas in the shallow conduit. Continuous influx of mantle-derived, volatile-rich magmas, such as those that supplied the ES fallout, provides a good explanation for major compositional and eruptive features of Mount Etna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface deformations on the western flank of Mt Etna volcano, spanning 1980–2004, have been analysed as they pertain to stress interactions between magma intrusions within the shallow crust along the S–SE Rift and faulting sensitivity. During this period, an accurate analysis of strain parameters, computed by inversion of SW electro-optical distance data, suggested that the observed strong displacements on this flank of the edifice can also be related to dextral shear movements along a roughly NE–SW buried fault crossing the area covered by this network, as supported by seismic observations of the 20–24 April 2001 swarm. Moreover, Coulomb stress change model analysis confirms that the displacement along this fault, heralding the July–August 2001 eruption 2 months earlier can be related to major stresses applied by a dike intrusion at depth along the S–SE Rift, as testified by the microseismicity occurring between November 2000 and 19 April 2001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strombolian and fire fountain activities represent a common expression of explosive basaltic eruptions. However, the transition between these two eruptive styles and their source mechanisms are still debated. We use textural and compositional studies to characterize pyroclastic material from both the Strombolian and Hawaiian-style fire fountain phases of the January-June 2000 Etna activity. We find that basaltic scoria presents distinctive textural and compositional features that reflect different modes of magma vesiculation and crystallization in the two eruptive regimes. Overall, magma that forms Strombolian scoria is far more crystallized, less vesicular, and more evolved, indicating strong volatile depletion and longer residence time before being erupted. Fire fountain scoria indicates a fast-rising magma with evidence of moderate syneruptive volatile ex-solution. The new textural and compositional data set is integrated with previous volcanological and geophysical investigations to provide further insights into the dynamics of fire fountains, and to frame the transition from Strombolian explosions to fire fountain activity into a model that may apply to future eruptions at Mount Etna as well as other active basaltic volcanoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the results obtained from the modelling of EDM, GPS, levelling and tilt data measured in the first part of the 1991–1993 eruption at Etna to the InSAR data acquired during the second part. The geodetic changes are very marked in the first half of the eruption and constrain a deflation source located at a few kilometers of depth (≈ 3 km b.s.l.), in agreement with other independent geophysical evidence. SAR data, available during the second part of the eruption, were analysed for different time intervals in the second part of the eruption. The interpretation of SAR interferograms reveals a large-scale but less marked deflation of the volcano that could be caused by a deeper source. This second source is in accord with a second deeper anomaly revealed by recent seismic investigations. The combination of geodetic data modelling and SAR images suggests a complex plumbing system composed at least of two possible storage regions located at different depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]