Etna’s explosive eruptions threaten aviation in Central Mediterranean region and highlight the need of an efficient ash-cloud monitoring system using MSG images

Abstract

Since 1979 explosive activity of Etna produced many short-lived ash-plume forming eruptions that created several problems to the operations of Catania and Reggia Calabria airports. In 2001 and 2002 a prolonged explosive activity caused continuous tephra injection in the atmosphere for several weeks. Lapilli and ash blanketed the volcano slopes down to Catania airport 35 km far from the vent, and fine particles reached hundreds of km of distance up to the northern Africa coast. The effects have been very serious disrupting the Catania airport operations for many days during three months as never was happened in Italy since the last Vesuvius eruption occurred in 1944. Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) is in charged for monitoring the eruptive phenomena of Etna volcano. It have to furnish to Catania International Airport Direction, Italian Agency for Civil Aviation (ENAC) and Italian National Civil Protection data on ash cloud dispersion on Sicilian airspace and on ash fallout on Catania airport. To put in operation one efficient ash-cloud monitoring system we will use the remote sensing IR images transmitted in real time by MSG satellite and by o network of ground-based IR cameras observing the volcano summit.