Abstract
THE present eruption sequence of Mt Etna began during September 1989 with extensive fracturing, and culminated in 1991–93 with the largest lava eruption this century1. Here we present measurements of gravity and ground deformation which, in conjunction with seismic data, provide a detailed record of the processes occurring before and during eruption. These reflect a complex interplay between magma injection into the paths of lowest compressive stress through the volcano flanks, forcing elastic deformation, and fracture growth in response to gravitational stresses. We find that after the end of the eruptive activity in 1989, fractures in the south-southeast flank of the volcano remained unfilled until some months before the 1991–93 eruption. These results indicate the utility of microgravity monitoring, as the precursory processes that we identify were largely undetected by seismic and ground deformation monitoring.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
SEAN Bull. 17, 12–16 (1992).
Bertagnini, A. et al. in Mt Etna: the 1989 Eruption (eds Barberi, F. & Bertagnini, A. & Landi, P.) 10–22 (Giardini, Pisa, 1990).
Ferrucci, F. in Mt Etna: the 1990 Eruption (eds Barberi, F. Bertagnini, A. & Landi, P.) 36–43 (Giardini, Pisa, 1990).
Ferrucci, F. et al. J. Volcan. geotherm. Res. (in the press).
Chiodini, G. et al. in Mt Etna: the 1990 Eruption (eds Barberi, F., Bertagnini, A. & Landi, P.) 65–67 (Giardini, 1990).
Bianchi, R. et al. in Mt Etna: the 1990 Eruption (eds Barberi, F., Bertagnini, A. & Landi, P.) 69–72 (Giardini, 1990).
Budetta, G., Grimaldi, M. & Luongo, G. in Mt Etna: the 1990 Eruption (eds Barberi, F., Bertagnini, A. & Landi, P.) 56–57 (Giardini, 1990).
Bonafede, M. & Boschi, E. J. Volcan geotherm Res. 49, 249–363 (1992).
Murray, J. B. in Magma Transport and Storage, Ch. 17 (ed. Ryan, M. P.) (Wiley, Chichester, 1991).
Eggers, A. A. J. Volcan. geotherm. Res. 19, 223–237 (1983).
Rymer, H. & Brown, G. C. Nature 311, 243–245 (1984).
Rymer, H. & Brown, G. C. Bull. volcan. 49, 389–398 (1987).
Ferrucci, F. & Paterne, D. J. Volcan. geotherm. Res. (in the press).
Chevallier, L. & Verwoerd, W. J. Bull. volcan. 52, 413–425 (1990).
Dzurisin, D. et al. J. Volcan. geotherm. Res. 7, 241–269 (1980).
Parfitt, E. J. geophys. Res. 96, 10101–10112 (1991).
Sanderson, T. J. O. Nature 297, 487–490 (1982).
McGuire, W. J., Murray, J. B. & Pullen, A. D. J. geol. Soc. 148, 577–584 (1991).
McGuire, W. J. & Pullen, A. D. J. Volcan. geotherm. Res. 38, 325–344 (1989).
Nature 361, 193 (1993).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rymer, H., Murray, J., Brown, G. et al. Mechanisms of magma eruption and emplacement at Mt Etna between 1989 and 1992. Nature 361, 439–441 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/361439a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/361439a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Benefits and Limitations of the Growth Inversion Approach in Volcano Gravimetry Demonstrated on the Revisited 2004–2005 Tenerife Unrest
Surveys in Geophysics (2023)
-
A long-term charge/discharge cycle at Mt. Etna volcano revealed through absolute gravity and GPS measurements
Journal of Geodesy (2022)
-
A satellite geodetic survey of large-scale deformation of volcanic centres in the central Andes
Nature (2002)
-
Magma movements in Etna volcano associated with the major 1991–1993 lava eruption: evidence from gravity and deformation
Bulletin of Volcanology (1995)