Mount Etna study reveals magma movement patterns to improve risk prevention

A study by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) has reconstructed a significant magmatic intrusion that occurred under Mount Etna on May 13, 2008. Researchers analyzed how magma moved through lateral fractures rather than following the central conduit, a process that triggered a sequence of earthquakes and surface fracturing without resulting in an eruption at that specific location.

During the 2008 event, a lateral dike propagated from the central feeding conduit toward the north, creating a “dry fracture field” on the surface. While the magma did not reach the surface on the northern flank, the movement eventually directed itself southward, leading to an eruption in the Valle del Bove.

Scientists note that this event demonstrates how internal geological conditions, such as pressure, temperature, and solidification, can cause magma to deviate from predictable paths. Understanding these non-eruptive magmatic movements is considered vital for improving volcanic risk prevention and developing more reliable predictive models for future activity.