SMEEGOL

SMEEGOL - historical Sources, Mineral microanalysis, Experimental pEtrology and numerical modellinG to unravel the precursor phenomena Of voLcanic eruptions: the case of the neapolitan volcanoes

PI Ilenia Arienzo, INGV Osservatorio Vesuviano

The SMEEGOL project focuses on studying historical volcanic eruptions in the Neapolitan area, including Campi Flegrei, Ischia Island, and Mt. Vesuvius. Here are the main goals and methodologies of the project:

1. Challenges of Studying Active Volcanoes: Active volcanoes in densely populated areas pose significant natural hazards and require monitoring to manage risks. Complex plumbing systems that feed eruptions, especially explosive ones, are challenging to understand and predict eruptions based on monitoring signals.
2. Objectives of the SMEEGOL Project: The primary goal of the project is to study in detail historical volcanic eruptions in the Neapolitan area. Two eruptions have been selected, for the first year of the project together with those ones that slightly preceded them. They are: the 1302 A.D. Arso eruption and the slightly older Fondo Bosso eruption (Ischia Island); the 1631 A.D. and the pre-1631 A.D. eruptions from Mt. Vesuvius. Other eruptions will be considered in the following two years. The project aims to investigate the plumbing systems, the pre-eruptive magmatic processes, the eruptive dynamics and the unrest phases, which preceded the selected eruptions.
3. Methodologies Used: The project employs various methodologies, including geochemical investigations on bulk rock, experimental petrology, numerical modeling, and historical reconstruction. High-precision mineral microanalysis, the study of residual glass and fluid and melt inclusions are used to characterize the feeding system and further investigate magma chamber processes.

Specific Objectives of the Project are:

• Reconstructing the precursory phenomena and chronology of the selected eruptive events, based on historical sources and their correlation with stratigraphic evidence.
• Investigate eruptive dynamics through 3D microtomography studies on juvenile lapilli-sized fragments, in order to obtain a reconstruction of the vesicles-size distribution and bubbles interconnection, which play a fundamental role in the degassing and fragmentation mechanisms.
• Identifying magma chamber processes and defining pre-eruptive volatile contents through mineral and glass microanalysis.
• Assessing the timescales of pre-eruptive magma chamber processes through diffusion chronometry studies.
• Reproducing magma open- or closed-system evolution through crystallization and mixing experiments.
• Simulating the space-time evolution of the magmatic feeding system through numerical modelling.

Implications for Volcanic Hazard Assessment: The data generated by the SMEEGOL project will provide critical information for volcanic hazard assessment in the Neapolitan volcanic area. This knowledge can help in understanding the future behaviour of active volcanoes based on observed unrest phases.

Communication and Description of Volcanic Events: The project also aims to explore how the communication and description of volcanic events have changed over time, depending on the audience and social status of the authors. This analysis covers the period from 1631 A.D. to 1944 A.D. and reflects the evolving understanding and perception of volcanic phenomena and their impact on humans and the environment.

In summary, the SMEEGOL project seeks to advance our understanding of historical volcanic eruptions in the Neapolitan area, using a multidisciplinary approach to better assess volcanic risks and improve early warning systems. Additionally, it explores how the communication of volcanic events has evolved over time.

The proposal provides for three URs (Fig. 1):

UR1: National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Osservatorio Vesuviano (INGV, OV),

UR2: INGV, Sezione di Roma 1 (INGV, Roma1),

UR3: INGV, Sezione di Pisa (INGV, Pisa).

Fig. 1 Research Units, Work packages and tasks within the SMEEGOL project

The UR1, together with the Universities of Parigi, Bochum, Azzorre, Firenze and Napoli - DiSTAR and Dipartimento di Scienze Umanistiche, is involved in the management of the project, in performing the geological, stratigraphical and volcanological surveys, in collecting and preparing the samples for chemical and isotopic analyses, in reconstructing magma chamber processes and timescales, in contributing to the crystallization and mixing experiments, in studying the historical chronicles to reconstruct the sequence of events or, more in general, the phenomena observed at ground level before and immediately following the selected volcanic eruptions (syn-eruptive observations).

UR2 and the University of Perugia are involved in the management of the project, in the chemical characterization of major and trace elements contents of zoned crystals and in the acquisition of trace element mapping. Moreover, in collaboration with the University of Federico II Napoli (DiSTAR) UR 2 will be involved in performing mixing experiments at the University of Perugia.

UR3 and the University of Camerino, Perugia, University of Napoli Vanvitelli and Federico II (DiSTAR) are involved in the management of the project and in performing mixing and crystallization experiments and in reconstructing, through numerical simulations, the processes possibly occurred within the magmatic feeding systems and their timescales.

The activities within SMEEGOL project are divided into Work Packages (WPs). Within each WP some specific objectives are indicated as Tasks (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. List of WPs and Tasks within the SMEEGOL project

WP1- Project coordination, data management and dissemination of results.

URs involved are UR1, UR2 and UR3.

Task 1.1 Project coordination.

Task 1.2 Management of the Website. Personnel from the different URs will collaborate to website and social media content production and updating, and to the interaction with the public.

WP2 - Geochemistry and Petrology of the selected eruptions.

URs involved are UR1, UR2 and UR3.

Task 2.1 Sampling in order to carry out sedimentological, petrographic, chemical and isotopic analyses, carried out in coordination with WP3.

Task 2.2 Performing laboratory activity finalized at the samples preparation for all the analyses planned in WP2 and WP3.

Task 2.3 Performing the geochemical characterization of the erupted products and data processing.

WP3 - Experimental petrology and numerical modelling.

URs involved are UR1, UR2 and UR3.

Task 3.1 Crystallization experiments.

Task 3.2 Mixing experiments.

Task 3.3. Performing numerical simulations focused on reproducing the interactions, occurring in magma chamber during reservoir rejuvenation, between magmas with different compositions and physical properties, causing the mingling and mixing patterns observed in the erupted products.

WP4 - Historical Chronicles and the signals recorded during volcanic unrest of the Neapolitan volcanoes.

UR involved UR1 UR2 and UR3.

Task 4.1. Consulting historical chronicles

Task 4.2 Performing a bibliographic research of unknown historical sources describing the events preceding and following the selected volcanic events and collecting and systematising the documents describing the disaster sites after the volcanic events.