Lava flows of Mt Etna, Italy: the 2019 eruption within the context of the last two decades (1999-2019)

UAVs have become a useful tool for natural hazard monitoring. In volcanic areas, they allow wider observations of the eruptive behaviour, with no risk for the operator. The SfM technique enables obtaining orthoimages of lava flows and a DEM in a short time. These data are also useful to estimate lava flow volumes and the mass output rate characterizing an eruption. We present the results of ten UAV surveys made during and after the 30 May - 6 June 2019 eruption of Etna volcano, projecting the data in a time context back until 1999. Orthoimages taken on different days allowed monitoring the morpho-structural evolution of the fissures, capturing the lava flows propagation and the accumulation of pyroclastic deposits. From 1999 to 2018, there were nine flank-eruptions and dozens of summit-eruptions, which for graphic simplicity have been grouped by year in the map. The resulting map represents the most updated of the recent lava flows of Etna.

Automated summary

UAVs are a useful tool for monitoring natural hazards, especially in volcanic areas where they allow wider observations of eruptive behavior. The SfM technique enables the rapid acquisition of images and digital models of lava flows, aiding in estimating eruption characteristics. Through UAV surveys at Mount Etna, the morpho-structural evolution of fissures and the accumulation of lava flows can be monitored, providing the most recent updates on lava flows.