Tidal gravity observations at Mt. Etna and Stromboli: results concerning the modeled and observed tidal factors

Abstract

Continuous gravity observations performed in the last few years, both at Mt. Etna and Stromboli, have prompted the need to improve the tidal analysis in order to acquire the best corrected data for the detection of volcano related signals. On Mt. Etna, the sites are very close to each other and the expected tidal factor differences are negligible. It is thus useful to unify the tidal analysis results of the different data sets in a unique tidal model. This tidal model, which can be independently confirmed by a modeling of the tidal parameters based on the elastic response of the Earth to tidal forces and the computation of the ocean tides effects on gravity, is very useful for the precise tidal gravity prediction required by absolute or relative discrete gravity measurements. The change in time of the gravimeters’ sensitivity is also an important issue to be checked since it affects not only the results of tidal analysis but also the accuracy of the observed gravity changes. Conversely, if a good tidal model is available, the sensitivity variations can be accurately reconstructed so as to retune observed tidal records with the synthetic tide, since the tidal parameters are assumed to be constant at a given location.