A team of researchers from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and the Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment of the National Research Council (CNR-Irea) created a map of the volcanic source of the island of Vulcano and clearly outlined the implications of this discovery for the area's safety. The findings, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, establish a solid foundation for future assessments of the island's volcanic hazard. "The island of Vulcano, home to the majestic 'La Fossa', has piqued interest since September 2021, with evidence of volcanic reactivation. Our study, which used InSAR (Satellite Radar Interferometry) and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) data, investigated this dynamic, locating the source, evaluating its characteristics, and impact on volcanic hazard," explains Federico Di Traglia, researcher at the INGV Vesuvius Observatory and first author of the paper. The study's main focus was on understanding volcanic reactivation and estimating the accompanying hazard. "By analyzing InSAR satellite data and seismic signals, we identified the source, located 500 meters below the crater area of Vulcano, operating between July and December 2021," adds Valentina Bruno, researcher at the INGV Etna Observatory and co-author of the article. "Using InSAR time series and GNSS data from Sentinel 1 and the INGV Etna Observatory (INGV-OE), we found and evaluated the source's progression. The VLP (Very Long Period, seismic occurrences related to the pressurization of fluids in the hydrothermal system of Vulcano), discovered between July and December 2021, encouraged the volcanic area's extension and were associated with the hydrothermal system under the cone of La Fossa". The analysis linked 2021 activity to volcanic eruptions associated to the internal pressure of the hydrothermal system, comparable to those in 1970.
|