Multidisciplinary study of flank instability phenomena at Stromboli volcano, Italy

This study concerns the unstable scarp named Sciara
del Fuoco (SDF) at Stromboli volcano, merging geostructural
observations, live-cam records in the visible and
IR bands, analysis of vertical aerial photographs, and
seismic records. These are used to assess morpho-structural
changes between 2002 and 2004. The onset of the lava
effusion on 28 December, 2002 preceded a gravitational
collapse by two days, affecting a wide area of the SDF
above and below sea level. We surmise that the collapse
enhanced latent instability of the scarp. The 2002–2003
lava flows had a remarkable stabilizing effect on wide
portions (>50%) of the SDF, whilst erosive phenomena
continued in the zone not covered by lava. This caused
unrelenting regression of the upper landslide scarp toward
the summit craters in the form of rockfalls and debris flows.
If the crater conduit were involved in the sliding, then a
change in eruptive behavior cannot be excluded.

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