Crustal changes at Mt. Etna volcano accompanying the 2002–2003 eruption as inferred from a repeating earthquake analysis

Abstract

In this work, waveform variations in repeating volcanotectonic earthquakes occurring from 2001–2009 in the northeastern flank of Mt. Etna were studied. Changes in waveform were found mainly during 2002–2003; and consisted of a decreasing similarity in the coda of events in earthquake families, as revealed by cross-correlation analysis, and delays, increasing proportionally to the lapse time, detected by coda wave interferometry. Such variations, mainly evident at stations located in the north-eastern flank of the volcano, were likely due to medium changes taking place within this region. Localized medium velocity decreases were inferred to occur in 2002–2003, followed by successive increases. The velocity decrease was interpreted as being caused by the opening or enlargement of cracks, produced by intruding magma bodies, intense ground deformation, and/ or VT earthquake activity that accompanied the 2002–2003 Mt. Etna eruption. On the other hand, subsequent velocity increases were interpreted as resulting from healing processes.