Space- and Ground-Based Geophysical Data Tracking of Magma Migration in Shallow Feeding System of Mount Etna Volcano

A rapid magma migration event at Mount Etna, captured using space-based (MODIS and SENTINEL-2) and ground-based geophysical data, revealed that a lateral effusive eruption on 24 December 2018 was preceded by a persistent increase in summit activity. The study tracked thermal, seismic, and infrasonic changes in near real-time, showing that magma intruded along a ~2.0 km dyke at a speed of 0.15–0.20 m/s, shifting explosive activity from the summit to the volcano's flank. Satellite data estimated erupted lava volumes of 1.4 Mm³ (±0.5 Mm³) at the summit and 0.85 Mm³ (±0.3 Mm³) laterally, highlighting the potential of integrating satellite observations with ground-based geophysical monitoring to improve volcanic hazard assessments during eruptive crises.

Laiolo, M., Ripepe, M., Cigolini, C., Coppola, D., Della Schiava, M., Genco, R., Innocenti, L., Lacanna, G., Marchetti, E., Massimetti, F., & Silengo, M. C. (2019). Space- and Ground-Based Geophysical Data Tracking of Magma Migration in Shallow Feeding System of Mount Etna Volcano. Remote Sensing, 11(10), 1182. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11101182