Studying the geodynamics of the Etnean area by means of VLBI and GPS
Date Issued
2007
Author(s)
Abstract
VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) and GPS (Global Positioning System) space geodesy techniques can contribute to the study of crustal deformations in the Mediterranean Sea area. In particular, the correlation between volcanic and seismic activity of Mt. Etna and crustal deformations between Noto and Matera stations was analysed.By analysing VLBI data we obtained the behaviour of the baseline which crosses the Etnean area, from 1990 to 2004, representing the time variations of the distance between the two stations situated on different plates; the linear trend showed a general increasing, pointing out an extension of the crust between them.VLBI data are very sparse even if the time series was quite long; therefore, to fill gaps in the information, we analysed GPS data. GPS technique performs continuous observations and we were able to highlight both extensions and compressions in details. We compared the baseline Noto-Matera with the volcanic eruptions of Mt. Etna and we found out a relationship between eruptions and the distance between the two stations: it increases before an eruptive event so there is extension between them; on the contrary, during the eruption it decreases, so emphasizing crust's compression. The comparison with the strain release showed that the main seismic release happens during the extension of the crust before the eruptions so it helps the uplifting and the beginning of the event. The uprising of the mantle occurs before the eruptions and it causes the inflated crust lying over it and the volcanic fractures are opened and the magma up rises inside them.Moreover, this analysis showed that the crustal deformation of Etnean area is characterized by the geodynamics involving the movements of the plates where all the stations we studied are located.
Coverage
Proceedings of the 18th European VLBI for Geodesy and Astrometry Work Meeting
All editors
Böhm, J.; Pany, A.; Schuh, H.
Conferenece
18th European VLBI for Geodesy and Astrometry Work Meeting
Conferenece place
Vienna
Conferenece date
12-13 April, 2007
Rights
open.access
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