High resolution magnetic anomalies, volcanism and tectonics of the active “La Fossa” vulcanic system (Vulcano island) and Lipari island (South Italy)

Abstract

In this paper we present the new high-resolution magnetic anomaly map of the La Fossa Caldera system and Lipari island (Southern Italy), obtained by merging two low-altitude aeromagnetic surveys. In these islands a variegated ensemble of magnetic anomalies develops in the north-south direction. The La Fossa Caldera is characterized by very high-intensity and short-wavelength magnetic anomalies, related to mafic intrusive/effusive sources, mainly aligned along the NNW-SSE and NS faults. Instead, the Lipari island is characterized by lower intensity anomalies related to sources with more evolved chemistry, elongated in the NE-SW, NNE-SSW and EW of the subordinate faults. Both the two sets of structures belong to the Tindari-Letojanni strike slip fault-system, a regional lineament along which the southern side of the Aeolian Archipelago is emplaced. The study identifies three distinctive magnetic zones on the Lipari island: the southern, the central, and the north-western ones. The southern zone is characterized by negative magnetic monopoles in correspondence with the younger rhyolitic domes and a Curie Isotherm upwelling. The central part of the island has an average lower intensity of positive anomalies, corresponding to the less evolved products of the intermediate Lipari volcanic epochs. The north-western side is characterized by higher intensity anomalies related to older volcanic epochs. The interplay among strike-slip tectonics, chemistry of the uprising magmas, and the thermal setting has contributed to the overall anomaly pattern in this sector of the Aeolian Archipelago. This interpretation is supported by the application of digital enhancement to the total intensity magnetic anomaly field and by the spatial correlation analysis of the magnetic and volcano-tectonic features. The obtained insights are useful to better understand the relationship between arc volcanism and tectonics. Moreover, they can also outline new inferences to forecast future eruptions of the active La Fossa volcanic system. In fact, recent unrest signals were registered at La Fossa Cone, which is one of the present-day active volcanoes of the Aeolian Archipelago, along with Stromboli island.