American Geophysical Union Become an AGU Member
Subscribe to AGU Journals		 AGU Home AGU Publications

Read Full Article (file size: 375110 bytes)    Cited by

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 30, NO. 24, 2286, doi:10.1029/2003GL018642, 2003

Link between major flank slip and 2002–2003 eruption at Mt. Etna (Italy)

Valerio Acocella

Dip. Scienze Geologiche Roma TRE. L. S.L. Murialdo, Roma, Italy


Boris Behncke

Dip. Scienze Geologiche, Univ. Catania, Corso Italia, Catania, Italy


Marco Neri

INGV, Sezione di Catania, P. Roma, Catania, Italy


Salvatore D'Amico

INGV, Sezione di Catania, P. Roma, Catania, Italy


Abstract

The 2002–2003 Etna eruption is studied through earthquake distributions and surface fracturing. In September 2002, earthquake-induced surface rupture (sinistral offset ∼0.48 m) occurred along the E-W striking Pernicana Fault (PF), on the NE flank. In late October, a flank eruption accompanied further (∼0.77 m) surface rupturing, reaching a total sinistral offset of 1.25 m; the deformation then propagated for 18 km eastwards to the coastline (sinistral offset 0.03 m) and southwards, along the NW-SE striking Timpe (dextral offset 0.04 m) and, later, Trecastagni faults (dextral offset 0.035 m). Seismicity (<4 km bsl) on the E flank accompanied surface fracturing: fault plane solutions indicate an overall ESE-WNW extension direction, consistent with ESE slip of the E flank also revealed by ground fractures. A three-stage model of flank slip is proposed: inception (September earthquake), climax (accelerated slip and eruption) and propagation (E and S migration of the deformation).

Received 16 September 2003; accepted 28 November 2003; published 27 December 2003.

Index Terms: 7280 Seismology: Volcano seismology (8419); 8010 Structural Geology: Fractures and faults; 8122 Tectonophysics: Dynamics, gravity and tectonics; 8414 Volcanology: Eruption mechanisms.

Read Full Article (file size: 375110 bytes)    Cited by

Citation: Acocella, V., B. Behncke, M. Neri, and S. D'Amico (2003), Link between major flank slip and 2002–2003 eruption at Mt. Etna (Italy), Geophys. Res. Lett., 30(24), 2286, doi:10.1029/2003GL018642.