The borehole dilatometer network of Mount Etna: A powerful tool to detect and infer volcano dynamics

A network of four borehole dilatometers on Mount Etna provides unprecedented precision in measuring volcanic strain, enabling the detection and analysis of magma dynamics during eruptions. Installed between 2010–2011 and 2014 at depths exceeding 100 meters, these instruments record volumetric strain with a nominal precision up to 10−11 across a wide frequency range (10−7–25 Hz). The study demonstrates their capability to capture short-term strain changes during lava fountains (2011–2013 and December 28, 2014), while analytical and numerical models constrain eruption source depth and magma volume. This tool offers potential for long-term monitoring of volcanic activity phases, bridging gaps in understanding Etna's dynamic behavior.

Bonaccorso, A., Linde, A., Currenti, G., Sacks, S., & Sicali, A. (2016). The borehole dilatometer network of Mount Etna: A powerful tool to detect and infer volcano dynamics. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 121(6), 4655–4669. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jb012914