Soil radon concentration and volcanic activity of Mt. Etna before and after the 2002 eruption

• Published in: Radiation measurements Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 241 - 245
• Main Authors: Immè, G., La Delfa, S., Lo Nigro, S., Morelli, D., Patanè, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Crystalline rocks; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Eruption; Exact sciences and technology; Geochronology; Igneous and metamorphic rocks petrology, volcanic processes, magmas; Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology; Mt. Etna; Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc; Radon; Southern Europe; Italy; Sicily Italy; Mount Etna; Radon; Eruption; Mt. Etna; radon; activity; Europe; eruptions; volcanoes; concentration; anomalies; Ml. Etna; volcanism; dynamics; correlation; soil gases; seismicity
• ISSN: 1350-4487; 1879-0925
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2005.06.008

Soil radon investigation, using a continuous measurement device, has been performed on Mt. Etna in order to observe possible anomalies due to seismic and/or volcanic activity. In October 2002 an eruptive event occurred. Measurements, performed on the NE flank, have shown a possible correlation between eruptive activity of the volcano and soil radon concentration anomaly. The study of the seismic activity recorded in the same flank has, also, allowed to characterize the volcano dynamics and to correlate it with the variations of radon. The obtained results seem to indicate a possible dependence on volcanic activity of the radon concentration.