High-tech sentinels guard Europe's rumbling giant Mount Etna
Mount Etna, Europe's tallest and most active volcano, is under constant surveillance with a cutting-edge network of sensors and cameras that provide real-time monitoring of its volcanic activity.
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), based in Catania, is the agency responsible for monitoring Mount Etna's volcanic activity.
Its work involves a comprehensive approach using advanced technology and round-the-clock vigilance.
Monitoring Etna
Monitoring includes recording seismic activity through a network of seismic stations that track earthquakes and tremors around the volcano.
"A change in this type of activity can indicate the movement of magma beneath the surface and serve as a precursor to eruptive activity," Marco Aliotta of INGV told RFI.
The team also conducts geodetic monitoring with GPS stations, strainmeters, and tiltmeters to measure ground deformation, such as uplift and subsidence.
"These changes can signal magma movement or the arrival of new magma in the volcano's plumbing system," Aliotta explained.
Gas composition measurements of emissions like sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide offer further clues about magma activity. Additionally, INGV utilizes thermal imaging and satellite imagery to detect surface temperature changes and identify new lava flows.
"All these methods are integrated into a real-time monitoring system accessible from our 24/7 surveillance room at INGV Catania," Aliotta said. The system is staffed by shift workers and on-call experts specializing in various disciplines of volcanology.
Etna's erruptions
4o
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