Ground Deformation Monitoring and Modelling at Some Italian Volcanoes: Vesuvio, Lipari-Vulcano and Campi Flegrei

Recent ground deformation studies in three volcanic areas of Italy are reviewed in this paper. Lipari-Vulcano complex, the andesitic volcanoes located in the Aeolian islands, southern Italy, are characterized by a quiescent stage of activity since 1890, with eruptions recurring at an average interval of the order of one hundred years. Vesuvio has been quiescent since 1944, but it must be considered as one of the potentially high risk volcanoes in the world, because of the violent type of eruptions and the high density of population (about 700,000 people live close to its foot). These two volcanoes have not shown, however, any significant ground movement in recent years. On the other hand, Campi Flegrei are characterized by remarkable ground movements, having one of the highest observed strain-accumulation rates in a volcanic area without any known eruption. A quantitative modeling of this type of ground deformation is quite a difficult task, due to the network geometry and the proximity of the sea. Current models for explaining the uplift episodes during 1970–1972 and 1982–1984 are reviewed.