The unusual 28 December 2014 dike‐fed paroxysm at Mount Etna: Timing and mechanism from a multidisciplinary perspective

A multidisciplinary analysis of Mount Etna's 2014 volcanic activity revealed that the unusual December 28 paroxysm, characterized by dike-fed lava fountains and flows, was triggered by structural modifications in the shallow magmatic plumbing system. The study, combining seismic, geodetic, geochemical, and volcanological data, showed that this event followed a period of pressurization beneath the summit craters starting in August 2014. The research suggests that drainage of the main shallow conduit during earlier eruptive fissure activity (July–August 2014) altered the plumbing system, facilitating magma emplacement as a dike-like structure. This finding provides new insights into the complex dynamics governing volcanic eruptions at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gambino, S., Cannata, A., Cannavò, F., La Spina, A., Palano, M., Sciotto, M., Spampinato, L., & Barberi, G. (2016). The unusual 28 December 2014 dike‐fed paroxysm at Mount Etna: Timing and mechanism from a multidisciplinary perspective. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 121(3), 2037–2053. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015jb012379