Structural analysis of the eruptive fissures at Mount Etna (Italy)

Mount Etna's eruptive fissures, analyzed from 1900 to the present, reveal distinct patterns linked to the volcano's unstable eastern and southern flank. Flank eruptions, concentrated on the NE and S rifts, exhibit shorter durations but longer fissure systems compared to summit eruptions, which last longer with generally lower effusion rates (except during paroxysmal events). The study highlights a close relationship between eruption distribution and the dynamics of Etna's unstable flank sector, influenced by magma accumulation and gravitational forces. This process facilitates lateral magma transfer from the central conduit to the flanks, extending detachment zones and shaping eruptive behavior over the last ~2 ka.

Neri, M., Acocella, V., Behncke, B., Giammanco, S., Mazzarini, F., & Rust, D. (2011). Structural analysis of the eruptive fissures at Mount Etna (Italy). Annals of Geophysics, 54(5). https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-5332