On the morning of 24 December 2018, a 2 km long eruptive fracture opened on the southeastern flank of the volcano pouring a lava flow towards the Valle del Bove. This episode represents the most recent intrusive event at Mt Etna.
The eruption produced a vigorous column of ash, which rose to about 8 km above sea level (a.s.l.), dispersing towards the south-east of the volcano and causing disruption to Catania International Airport; it was followed by a quiet effusion of lava in the barren depression of the Valle del Bove until 27 December (Fig. 1). The explosive activity, which was mainly produced by several vents along the fracture, decreased since the late afternoon of 24 December and ended the day after.
Figure 1: (left) First phases of the 2018 Etna eruption; (right) the lava flow in Valle del Bove. Photos by Francesco Zuccarello
This eruption represents an excellent case study for the outstanding amount of satellite data available, which allows for tracking the evolution of the ash and SO2 cloud, as well as the emplacement of the lava flow field. Additionally, analysis of the geophysical data revealed that approximately ~50 × 106 m3 of magma remain stored within the shallow feeding system, presenting a potential supply for future eruptions. This makes the case study ideal also for “what-if " scenarios.
The GET-IT approach: the digital representation of the event includes several datasets from ground networks (e.g., GNSS data and ground truths) as well as almost all the building blocks composing the GET-it DTE: INSAR, DECOMP, DATAINT, GEOMOD, TOP_MON, CL_HOTSAT, GPUFLOW, VOLCLOUDS, FALL3D. This Use Case will produce the three-level scenario suggested in the high level conceptualization of the DTC: descriptive, predictive and prescriptive models of DTE, implemented for scientific and operational (e.g. civil protection authorities) stakeholders.
Expected Outcomes:
Processing of the SEVIRI data collected on Mt Etna on 24 December 2018 at 13:00 UTC. RGB SEVIRI channels combination for the detection of the volcanic eruptive cloud (left); ash columnar abundance map (right).
Actual lava flow field emplaced during 24-27 December 2018 at Mt Etna obtained from Planetscope imagery (left). Probability of inundation from lava flows obtained running six possible eruptive scenarios, identified by means of a statistical analysis of the flank eruptions occurred in the last 400 years (right).
22th-28th December 2018 ascending and descending Sentinel 1A/B interferograms. The main tectonic structures are reported with a dot blue line. The epicentre of the Mw = 4.9 Fiandaca earthquake is reported with a red star. PFS = Pernicana Fault System; FPF = Fiandaca‐Pennisi Fault; BOF = Borrello‐Ognina Fault; RFS = Ragalna Fault System.
Syn-eruptive INSAR results (Sentinel-1 ascending orbit) and modelled eruptive dike (shaded rectangle below the summit craters) related to the December 2018 eruption at Mt Etna. The main faults are also evidenced.