Integrated Monitoring of Soil Radon Gas and Seismic Activity to Detect Volcanic Unrest at Mount Etna (Italy), 2023–2025

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15801745
AutoresSalvatore Giammanco (0000-0003-2588-1441, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, autor de correspondencia), Vincenza Maiolino (0000-0001-8781-299X, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Andrea Ursino (0000-0003-1942-7920, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Marco Neri (0000-0002-5890-3398, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Luca Frasca (0009-0009-1275-8250, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Roberto Maugeri (0000-0003-4330-3434, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Filippo Murè (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Paolo Principato (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia)
Año2026
Volumen9
Número1
Páginas16-16
Fecha de publicación2026-02-10
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaQuaternary (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2571-550X • E-ISSN: 2571-550X
EditorialMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/quat9010016
OpenAlexW7128536359
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas28

This work presents the results of an integrated monitoring of soil radon gas and seismic activity at Mt. Etna from August 2023 to May 2025, aimed at enhancing comprehension of magma migration and eruption dynamics. Radon data were collected using a permanent station with an alpha particle probe, aggregated hourly. The INGV-OE network monitored seismic activity at 100 Hz; volcanic tremor was analyzed using Root-Mean-Square (RMS) values from the Serra La Nave station. Earthquakes were located using the Hypoellipse algorithm and a 1D crustal velocity model. A robust correlation was found between radon and RMS anomalies, with the former preceding the latter with increasing probability over time (e.g., 30.1% within 1 day, 46.4% within 3 days). Correlations were also found between radon anomalies and Strombolian activity at the summit craters (e.g., 23.8% within 1 day for the Central Crater), suggesting a potential predictive role for radon. Conversely, correlations with paroxysmal events were weaker in the short term but increased over longer time windows. No clear correlation was found between radon anomalies and seismic strain release, likely due to differing temporal resolutions. These results support the idea that radon plays a role as a short-term precursor in volcanic unrest

Impact crater · Magma · Radon · Seismogram · Soil gas · Strombolian eruption · Volcano · Geological and Geochemical Analysis · Radiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies · Radioactivity and Radon Measurements