Paroxysmal summit activity at Mt. Etna (Italy) monitored through continuous soil radon measurements

Soil radon emissions have been proved as a useful tool for predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and furthermore aided in determining the location of active faults. Continuous radon monitoring was carried out near Southeast Crater of Mt. Etna in September–November 1998, during a period of frequent eruptive episodes at that crater. Radon anomalies were detected when eruptive episodes and the accompanying volcanic tremor became increasingly intense: no anomalies in radon activity were observed during the first five, and weaker, eruptive episodes, whereas significant spikes in radon activity preceded the latter five episodes by ≥46 hours. This probably reflects increased gas leakage through fractures intersecting the shallow plumbing system, as gas pressure in the Southeast Crater conduit became higher with time. Radon monitoring thus might serve to better understand eruptive mechanisms and possible precursors, making further studies in this field a promising perspective