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In this paper, we tackle the problem of the intensity attenuation at Ischia, a critical parameter in a high seismic risk area such as this volcanic island. Starting from the new revised catalogue of local earthquakes, we select a dataset of 118 macroseismic observations related to the four main historical events and analyse the characteristics of the intensity attenuation according to both the deterministic and probabilistic approaches, under the assumption of a point seismic source and isotropic decay (circular spreading). In the deterministic analysis, we derive the attenuation law through an empirical model fitting the average values of ΔI (the difference between epicentral intensity I0 and intensities observed at a site IS) versus the epicentral distances by the least-square method. In the probabilistic approach, the distribution of IS conditioned on the epicentre-site distance is given through a binomial-beta model for each class of I0. In the Bayesian framework, the model parameter p is considered as a random variable to which we assign a Beta probability distribution on the basis of our prior belief derived from investigations on the attenuation in Italy. The mode of the binomial distribution is taken as the intensity expected at that site (Iexp). The entire calculation procedure has been implemented in a python plugin for QGIS® software that, given location and I0 (or magnitude) of the earthquake to be simulated, generates a probabilistic seismic scenario according to the deterministic or probabilistic models of attenuation. This tool may be applied in seismic risk analyses at a local scale or in the seismic surveillance to produce real-time intensity shake-maps for this volcanic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the hydrogeochemical and isotopic contents in groundwater for the period 2002–2020, in the Ischia Island, a volcanic island in Southern Italy, and compared them with seismic events that occurred in the same period. The study is based on a large hydrochemical database, which includes chemical (major and minor compounds, metals and trace elements) and isotopic analyses (δ18O and δ2H). For each of the 34 seismic events occurred in the studied period, we considered coordinates, date, time, depth and magnitude. To exclude the influence of meteorological variability on the hydrochemistry, we examined rainfall time series measured in four stations located in the island. Results show hydrogeochemical anomalies for some chemical elements observed months before the seismic events. Arsenic, electrical conductivity, chromium and vanadium have been identified as potentially affected by hydrogeochemical anomalies related to the earthquakes. The variations in stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) in groundwater also seem associated with the earthquakes. This study aims to contribute to the individuation of components in groundwater prone to register sudden changes related to seismic events and it highlights the need of a continuous and long-term hydrogeochemical monitoring in seismic areas. Indeed, the conclusions of this study must be further confirmed by a future continuous monitoring of major compounds, trace elements and isotopes in groundwater to evaluate the effective temporal coincidence/lag with the seismic events. [Display omitted] • Hydrochemical anomalies occurred months before the seismic events in Ischia Island • Significant variations concern EC and the concentrations of As, V and Cr • After the events, these elements partially recovered their normal concentrations • Light changes in δ2H and δ18O were observed before the events • The variations can be related to changes in hydrothermal fluids circulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper we give an overview of the recent geophysical, geochemical and volcanological studies concerning the island of Ischia within the geological and tectonic framework of Southern Italy. Ischia is an active volcanic field that had a complex volcanic history resulting from dominant explosive and minor effusive activity, several caldera collapses, and renewed volcanism from vents located inside the collapsed area. The island is morphologically dominated by Mt. Epomeo, the result of a prominent resurgence phenomenon taking place since ca. 33ka BP, and responsible for ca. 900m of total uplift, one of the largest known compared to the relatively small size of the caldera. The uplift was accompanied by activation of faults, seismic activity and renewal of volcanism, and may be considered a main factor for inducing slope instability. For Ischia, volcanological, petrological and geophysical studies are, at present, limited compared to the other active volcanoes of the Neapolitan Area. Furthermore, the island is characterized by high volcanic, seismic and hydrogeological risks. Thus, this review is aimed at highlighting aspects of the knowledge on Ischia that need more investigations, in order to better assess some characteristics of its structural setting. Features such as the precise location of the caldera boundaries and the depth of the magma chamber representing the drive for the resurgence still need to be well defined. A critical analysis of all lines of evidence relevant to the current theories about the island resurgence (resurgent block vs. resurgent dome) has been carried out. Our analysis reveals that the resurgent block model, differently from the resurgent dome model, is consistent with the most significant features, such as tilting of the resurgent block, faults type, dip and distribution at the edges of the block, and occurrence of most of the past 10ka eruption vents on the eastern sector of the island. However, as both model require an input of fresh magma into the shallow plumbing system, it is not clear at present how much magma was necessary to achieve the measured uplift, and whether the drive was provided by magma or magmatic volatiles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The island of Ischia is particularly susceptible to landslides and flash floods due to its particular geological and geomorphological context. Urbanization in recent decades coupled with the development of tourism has increased the risk. After the November 10, 2009 event occurring in the northern sector of the island (the town of Casamicciola), a detailed geo-morphological survey was conducted to ascertain the evolution of the phenomenon. In the watersheds upstream of Casamicciola, many landslides were mapped and the volume of material involved during detachment and sliding was estimated. In the lower course area, near the town and towards the sea, flow pathways were reconstructed with the aid of extensive video footage taken during the event. Rainfall data were also analyzed and a relationship was established between the hourly rainfall rate and the flash flood. The phenomenon was found to be quite complex, with many upstream landslides stopping before reaching the urban area. In the lower course the alluvial event occurred as a flood with a very small sediment discharge, which left a very thin layer of sediment. Reconstruction of the flash flood phenomenon suggested possible action for future risk mitigation, early warning and civil protection plans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ischia is an active volcanic island in the Gulf of Naples whose history has been dominated by a caldera-forming eruption (ca. 55 ka) and resurgence phenomena that have affected the caldera floor and generated a net uplift of about 900 m since 33 ka. The results of new geomorphological, stratigraphical and textural investigations of the products of gravitational movements triggered by volcano-tectonic events have been combined with the information arising from a reinterpretation of historical chronicles on natural phenomena such as earthquakes, ground deformation, gravitational movements and volcanic eruptions. The combined interpretation of all these data shows that gravitational movements, coeval to volcanic activity and uplift events related to the long-lasting resurgence, have affected the highly fractured marginal portions of the most uplifted Mt. Epomeo blocks. Such movements, mostly occurring since 3 ka, include debris avalanches; large debris flows (lahars); smaller mass movements (rock falls, slumps, debris and rock slides, and small debris flows); and deep-seated gravitational slope deformation. The occurrence of submarine deposits linked with subaerial deposits of the most voluminous mass movements clearly shows that the debris avalanches impacted on the sea. The obtained results corroborate the hypothesis that the behaviour of the Ischia volcano is based on an intimate interplay among magmatism, resurgence dynamics, fault generation, seismicity, slope oversteepening and instability, and eruptions. They also highlight that volcano-tectonically triggered mass movements are a potentially hazardous phenomena that have to be taken into account in any attempt to assess volcanic and related hazards at Ischia. Furthermore, the largest mass movements could also flow into the sea, generating tsunami waves that could impact on the island's coast as well as on the neighbouring and densely inhabited coast of the Neapolitan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present an “event stratigraphy” framework built for the last 23calka marine record in the southern offshore of Ischia Island based on AMS 14C dating and tephrostratigraphic analysis of 11 gravity cores. Two collapse events have been recovered in the record: a) the Ischia submarine debris avalanche/debris flow (DA/DF), dated between ~3kaB.P. and 2.4kaB.P. and possibly between 2.7kaB.P. and 2.4kaB.P. (event DF1); b) a former, pre-Holocene, DA/DF older than 23calkaB.P. (event DF2). The Ischia DA, with an estimated volume of 1.5km3, incorporates thousands of blocks that are still detectable on the sea-floor until 45–50km far from the island. Our results indicate an age of emplacement younger than previously thought and support the hypothesis that a major catastrophic event occurred when the island was already inhabited by Greek settlers (i.e. after the 7th century BC). Three ash layers have been recognised in the post-DF1 avalanche sequence and correlated with Ischian eruptions occurred between Middle Ages and Roman times. Two tephras recovered in the pre-DF1 succession have been correlated with explosive activity occurred on Ischia and Procida islands from ~23ka to ~17.5kaB.P. The results presented here improve the chronostratigraphic reconstruction of the main eruptive and collapse events that affected Ischia volcano during Late Pleistocene–Holocene and their dispersal at sea. The occurrence of at least two major collapsing events in the past 23kyr confirms the close genetic relationship between gravity failures and Mt. Epomeo uplift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ischia is a well exposed and densely populated late Quaternary caldera in the Campanian magmatic province of Italy. Ischia Caldera experienced an average uplift rate of 3.3 cm/year in the last ca. 30 ka and is still actively resurging. During the last 10 ka, coeval with the resurgence, a volcanic field of alkali-trachytic to trachyandesitic lava domes, lava flows, tuff and scoria rings, and pumice cones developed, mainly on the eastern sector of the caldera, along both resurgence-related faults and regional NNW- and NE-striking faults. In order to improve both our understanding of the recent volcanic history and the evaluation of future risks on Ischia Island, a high-precision archaeomagnetic dating method was applied to the products of 12 volcanic centres with probable age <10 ka. Accurate paleofield directions with a median 95% confidence angle of 1.47 were measured on 277 lava and spatter samples (25 sites). Coupled with the reference curves for secular variation in the western Mediterranean sea (during the last 3000 years) and eastern Europe (from 3000 to 8000 years ago), ages of between 4100 BC and 355 AD were obtained. These archaeomagnetic data were supported by a volcanologic and stratigraphic survey and are consistent with written sources, archaeological findings, and previous isotopic (K/Ar and 14C) ages. Archaeomagnetic and other geochronological data, as well as stratigraphic constraints, show that, during the studied time interval, Ischia volcanism occurred in five periods separated by phases of quiescence and coeval with earthquake and landslide events. This fact suggests a pulsating mode of uplifting and deformations of the Ischia resurgence. During the two oldest periods of activity (7200–6800 BC and 4100–2300 BC), resurgence probably produced a dome-shaped structure. Location and geometry of vents suggest the occurrence of magma uprise along the fractures produced by bending of the overburden crustal block. Most of magma was emplaced as intrusions at the interior of the resurgent block, whereas volcanism was represented by very viscous, differentiated, and crystallized lavas that emplaced as domes and high aspect-ratio flows. The resurgent dome caused recurrent lateral collapses that removed about 2.5 km3 of rocks. During the three youngest periods of activity (1800–1000 BC; 650 BC –355 AD; and 1302 AD), resurgence affected a fault-bounded, asymmetric block. This resulted from both (a) hydrostatic rebound of the crustal block after removal of material involved into huge slope instability triggering an increase in uplift rate, and (b) new influxes of less evolved magma batches into the shallow reservoir that, in turn, favoured the intense volcanism of the last 4000 years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ischia volcano, in Central Italy, has long been known for its copious surface hydrothermal manifestations, signs of a pervasive circulation of hot fluids in the subsurface. Because of the significant chemical heterogeneity of fumarolic gas discharges and hot spring discharges, evidences of a complex hydrothermal setting, a definite model of fluid circulation at depth is currently unavailable, in spite of the several previous efforts. Here, we report on the chemical and isotopic composition of 120 groundwater samples, collected during several sampling surveys from 2002 to 2007. The acquired data suggest that the composition of surface manifestations reflect contributions from meteoric water, sea water, and thermal fluids rising from two distinct hydrothermal reservoir, with equilibrium temperatures of respectively ~150 °C and ~270 °C, and depths of 150–300 m and >300 m (but possibly >1000 m). We also make use of an isotopic characterization of the dissolved gas phase in thermal waters to demonstrate that the Ischia hydrothermal system is currently supplied by a deep-rising gas component (DGC), characterized by CO2 ~97.7±1.2 vol.% (on a water-free basis), δ 13CCO2 =−3.51±0.9‰, and helium isotopic ratio of about 3.5 Ra (3He/4He ratio normalized to the air ratio, R a), likely magmatic in origin. An assessment of the thermal budget for Ischia hydrothermal system is also presented, in the attempt to derive a first estimate of the size and rate of degassing of the magmatic reservoir feeding the gas emissions. We calculate that a heat flow of about 153–222 MW presently drives hydrothermal circulation on the island, which we suggest is supplied in convective form (e.g., by the ascent of a high-T magmatic vapour phase) by complete degassing of 2.2–3.3·107 m3 yr−1 of trachytic magma (with ~2.1 wt.% dissolved H2O content). If extrapolated to entire period of quiescence lasting since the Arso eruption in 1302 A.D., this volume corresponds to 1.6–2.3·1010 m3 of magma degassed in about 700 years of quiescent activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The results of a detailed stratigraphic study, carried out in the areas located to the east and south-west of Mt. Epomeo at Ischia, are presented and compared with those of previous geological, archaeological and historical investigations to show the relationships among caldera resurgence, volcanism and slope instability in the past 5.5 ka. Resurgence at Ischia began at about 30 ka B.P. and occurred through intermittent uplifting and tectonic quietness phases. During the past 5.5 ka reactivation of faults and related volcanic activity was accompanied by emplacement of deposits generated by surface gravitational movements. These deposits were generated in four main phases, dated between 5.5 and 2.9 ka, around 2.9 ka, between 2.6 and 2.3 ka, and between 2.3 and 1.9 ka, respectively. Deposits formed by gravitational movements preceded and followed the emplacement of volcanic rocks, testifying that slope instability was induced by vertical movements, which also activated and/or reactivated faults and fractures that fed volcanism. The results of this study therefore suggest that, although slope failure can occur as a consequence of a variety of factors, resurgence has to be considered a factor inducing a particularly intense slope instability. Resurgence is accompanied by activation of faults and renewal of volcanism, causing oversteepening of the slopes and generating seismicity that could trigger surface gravitational movements. Furthermore, the availability of large amount of loose material, rapidly accumulated along the slopes during eruptions, favors landslide generation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Geothermal Power. • Ischia. • Geothermal Wells. • Binary Plants. • Hot Water Utilization. Many articles have been published on the pioneering activity carried out in Larderello for the exploitation of the geothermal resources present there. Little is known, however, of the equally pioneering activities carried out in Italy around 500 km south of Larderello for the exploitation of the warm waters found on the Ischia island in front of the Gulf of Naples. With this article we want to analyze the technological evolution that since the 1930s has made it possible to produce electricity from hot water. There are many factors that have made this pioneering development possible. The first one is linked to the geological conditions present on the island, the second one concerns the evolution of the drilling activity which has made available more and more hot water and then steam. The third is linked to the presence, at the engineering faculty of the "Federico II" University of Naples, of creative minds who have designed and made possible the realization of prototypes of binary fluid systems. Starting from a small size of 10 CV (1 CV = 0,98631 HP) working with pure fluids, reaching a size of 300 kW working with immiscible fluids mixtures. In this way they have anticipated the future development of this technology. The article analyzes all these factors to describe the birth, development and decline of this unique experience from which valid lessons can be drawn even in our day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]