Tracking a Pyroclastic Density Current With Seismic Signals at Mt. Etna (Italy)

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) are dangerous flows of volcanic rock and gas that the most deadly proximal volcano hazard. There is significant interest in better understanding PDC dynamics, however, they challenging to study due their extreme hazard, unpredictable occurrence, because complex internal dynamics obscured by visually opaque clouds ash. PDCs exert forces on Earth's surface generate seismic waves. Here, we use data recorded permanent monitoring network at Mt. Etna (Italy) track 11 February 2014 second-scale temporal resolution calculate a maximum velocity 76 m/s (274 km/hr). We identify multiple pulses show late-stage source locations correspond with mapped coarse-grained deposits. High spatial measurements movement from can be used inform numerical modeling aid hazard assessment improving our flow paths. This work illustrates how signals surficial mass movements real-time.