Who Monitors and Studies Etna Volcano? INGV

The Etna volcano is the most active and highest volcano in Europe, with a history of eruptions that goes back more than half a million years.

Etna is a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site and a place of continuing scientific research. Monitoring helps describe its activity and assess hazards, but it cannot guarantee that every event will be predicted. Scientific observations and access decisions serve different purposes.

The INGV is the Italian public research institution that is responsible for the surveillance and the scientific investigation of the Italian volcanoes, including Etna. The INGV has a branch in Catania, the Osservatorio Etneo, that is dedicated to the observation and the analysis of the Etna volcano. The INGV-OE operates a network of instruments and sensors that collect data on the volcanic activity 24/7, such as:

• Seismic stations that record the earthquakes and the tremors caused by the movement of magma and gas inside the volcano.
• GPS stations that measure the deformation of the ground due to the inflation or the deflation of the magma chamber.
• Thermal cameras and infrared sensors that detect the temperature and the intensity of the lava flows and the fountains.
• Gas analyzers and spectrometers that measure the composition and the flux of the volcanic gases emitted by the craters and the fumaroles.
• Video cameras and webcams that provide real-time images of the summit and the flank eruptions from different viewpoints.

INGV-OE specialists interpret several streams of data together and publish multidisciplinary bulletins and activity notices. Read the date, observation period and purpose of each product: a bulletin is not a live permit to visit a route.

INGV provides scientific information to civil protection and other authorities. Protezione Civile declares volcanic alert levels in coordination with the Sicilian authorities; access restrictions follow the applicable official measures. Sudden phenomena remain possible even at a low alert level.

But the INGV-OE does not only monitor the Etna volcano, it also studies it. The INGV-OE conducts scientific research projects on various aspects of the volcano, such as its history, its structure, its dynamics, its chemistry, its ecology, and its impacts.

The INGV-OE also organizes field campaigns and experiments, using drones, helicopters, satellites, and other tools, to collect samples and measurements from the volcano. The INGV-OE publishes the results of its research in scientific journals and books, and participates in national and international conferences and workshops.

The INGV-OE also promotes the dissemination and the education of the volcanic knowledge, through its website, its social media, its publications, and its outreach activities.

The Etna volcano is a complex and fascinating phenomenon that requires constant attention and investigation. The INGV-OE is the institution that provides the scientific and technical support for the understanding and the management of this natural wonder. If you want to learn more about the Etna volcano and the INGV-OE, you can visit their website.

If you want to experience the Etna volcano in person, join one of my guided tours as a certified Volcanological Guide, to read the volcanic landscape and understand the forces that shape it.

Sources

• INGV Osservatorio Etneo — volcanic monitoring, 24/7 surveillance systems
• UNESCO — Mount Etna World Heritage
• Parco dell'Etna — access regulations and natural laboratory information
• Collegio Regionale Guide Alpine Siciliane — certified guides registry

Protezione Civile — Etna