Scientific community and civil protection synergy during the Stromboli 2002-03 eruption

Abstract

The eruption of Stromboli 2002-03, thanks to its complex scenario (flank instability, tsunami, necessity to rapidly upgrade monitoring networks) has provided an important opportunity to verify the response of the national system of civil protection to volcanic emergencies. In particular, it has tested and validated the model of collaboration, in use by Italian law, between the Department of Civil Protection and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. This synergy has enabled a better understanding and ability to tackle the eruptive crisis from its first stages, as well as implement monitoring systems both dependably and swiftly. In this work, the numerous first monitoring tasks carried out during the critical initial stages of the eruption are described, and the activities and planned action are reported over the course of the eruption that has made Stromboli one of the best monitored volcanoes not only in Italy but throughout the world.