Seismoacoustic investigations of paroxysmal activity at Mt. Etna volcano: New insights into the 16 November 2006 eruption

Abstract

On 16 November 2006, a 1 day long paroxysmal eruption occurred at the summit craters of Mt. Etna volcano. A multiparametric approach, consisting of analyzing infrasonic, seismic, and video camera recordings, was carried out to follow its evolution. Volcanological and geophysical observations identified three eruptive phases. In the first phase, infrasonic and seismic characteristics reflected the highly explosive nature of the activity. Waveform characterization of infrasound events confirmed the activity of the several explosive vents at the summit of Southeast Crater (SEC). During the second phase, results highlighted the decoupling between seismic and infrasonic sources, which was due to the decrease in explosive activity and the reactivation of effusive vents located south of Bocca Nuova and on the saddle between Bocca Nuova and SEC. The third phase was the most intense and was characterized by various volcanic phenomena (pyroclastic flows, jets of dark ash, and white steam). The very high radiated infrasonic energy, together with infrasound event features, led us to infer a gas enrichment of the shallow magma column, preceding by a few minutes and likely related to the pyroclastic flows in the SEC area. After the eruption at SEC, variations in infrasound events related to the activity of Northeast Crater (NEC) were found. The observed spectral changes and the source mechanism modeling of the NEC infrasound events suggest the existence of a link in the plumbing system feeding the two craters.