New insights into magma dynamics during last two eruptions of Mount Etna as inferred by geochemical monitoring from 2002 to 2005

Abstract

Two distinct eruptive events characterize the volcanic activity at Mount Etna during the 2002 to 2005 period.We identified signals of magma ascent preceding these eruptions by geochemical monitoring of both chemical composition and He-isotope ratio of gas emissions from five locations in the peripheral area of the volcano. The geochemical signals are interpreted using the models proposed by Caracausi et al. (2003a, 2003b) and allow identification of episodes of magma ascent and estimation of the pressures of degassing magma. As observed for the 2001 eruption (Caracausi et al., 2003b), magma ascent probably triggered the onset of the 2002–2003 eruption, and minor events of magma ascent were observed between May and December 2003. In contrast to the previous two eruptions, the 2004–2005 eruption was not preceded by significant geochemical signals of volcanic unrest, suggesting that this eruption was mainly triggered by the failure of the upper portion of the volcanic edifice under the magmatic hydrostatic pressure in the conduits. High 3He/4He ratio revealed new volatile-rich magma accumulation. The 2002–2003 eruption was preceded by a much shorter period of new magma accumulation from deep levels of the feeding system. Few minor signals of magma migration were detected at some of the sites during the months preceding the 2004–2005 eruption, suggesting that the degassed 3He-depleted magma resident in the volcanic conduits was not replaced by new volatile-rich magma. This is in agreement with the lack of explosive activity during the 2004–2005 eruption and with petrologic observations that the parent magma probably erupted in 2000 and 2001. New geochemical signals of magma ascent from the deep reservoir have been identified since June 2005, indicating that the volcanic activity of Mount Etna is evolving toward new pre-eruptive conditions.