Monitoring crustal changes at volcanoes by seismic noise interferometry: Mt. Etna case of study

Abstract

In this work, we analysed the seismic noise recorded at Mt. Etna by 18 stations during the interval 2007–2015 in the frequency band 0.1–0.3 Hz, chosen to avoid contamination from volcanic tremor. Variations in time of medium seismic velocity in the range − 0.8 to 0.8% were found, mostly affecting the stations located on the volcano summit and flanks. Based on the investigated frequency content, the Δv/v changes took place from the surface to a depth of ~ 4.5–6.5 km. To identify the source mechanism of the observed medium changes, the variations were quantitatively compared by wavelet transform coherence with volcano-tectonic and meteorological parameters. A significant relationship with meteorological parameters with seasonal periodicity (especially air temperature and snow loading) was found, probably caused by thermo-elastic strain and increasing-decreasing surface loading cycles. Moreover, a sharp medium velocity decrease, taking place in mid-December 2009 and clearly time-related to the largest volcano-tectonic strain release phenomenon of the investigated period, was also found. Such a velocity decrease was interpreted as resulting from ascent of fluids and gas exsolution taking place at the same time as the volcano-tectonic swarm.