Search results for " etna"

The contribution of volcanic emissions (Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano) to the atmospheric trace metals budget in the Mediterranean basin

2010

Volcanic emissions represent one of the major natural source for several trace metals (Cd, Cu, As, Pb, Hg and Zn) into the atmosphere both as gaseous and aerosol forms. The Mediterranean Sea can be considered a large geochemical sink for these elements whose source are the huge amounts of aerosols of different origin. The industrialized areas located in the northern part of the basin represent a nearly constant source of the anthropogenic-dominated aerosol. By contrast, the arid and desert regions located at the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean, are the sources of frequent dust “pulses” perturbing the “steady-state” conditions of the local atmosphere through the input of seve…

Sampling and analysis methodology of atmospheric deposition: a study case form Mount Etna

2008

Mount Etna volcanic emissions signature on the chemical composition of bulk atmospheric deposition in Sicily, Italy.

2022

Mt. Etna, on the eastern coast of Sicily (Italy), is one of the most active and most intensely monitored volcanoes on the Earth, widely recognized as a big source of volcanic gases, such as CO2, SO2, halogens, and many trace elements, including technological critical elements (TCEs), to the atmosphere on a regional and global scale. Mt. Etna emissions account for a significant percentage of the worldwide average volcanic budget and especially during eruptive periods, its products can be dispersed over great distances and they influence the chemical composition of the atmosphere of other continents too. The current knowledge about the geochemical cycle of TCEs is still scarce, nevertheless, …

Micropropagation of Genista aetnensis [(Raf. ex Biv.)DC]

2015

Genista aetnensis [(Raf. ex Biv.)DC] is a large deciduous shrub or small tree native to the Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily. Being winter hardy and characterized by high plasticity in altitude and ecology, the species is grown in gardens and landscaping, both for flower and for its attractive shape. Genista species are generally propagate by seed or semi hardwood cuttings. In this report an efficient in vitro technique for propagation of G. aetnensis was investigated. Multiple shoots were induced on nodal segments of a mature plant of Genista aetnensis . The Murashige and Skoog medium, augmented with different concentrations of benzyladenine either singly or in combination with indol…

Environmental impact of Mt. Etna’s degassing: volcanogenic trace elements bioaccumulation in two endemic plant species (Senecio aethnensis and Rumex …

2010

A biomonitoring survey, above tree line level, using two endemic species (Senecio aethnensis and Rumex aethnensis)was performed on Mt. Etna, in order to evaluate the dispersion and the impact of volcanic atmospheric emissions. Samples of leaves were collected in summer 2008 from 30 sites in the upper part of the volcano (1500-3000 m a.s.l). Acid digestion of samples was carried out with a microwave oven, and 44 elements were analyzed by using plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS and ICP-OES). The highest concentrations of all investigated elements were found in the samples collected closest to the degassing craters, and in the downwind sector, confirming that the eastern flank of Mt. Etna is the mos…

Application of the moss bag biomonitoring technique in an active volcanic environment (Mt. Etna, Italy).

2011

This paper presents the preliminary results of a biomonitoring study based on the use of moss bags exposed at 24 sites on Etna volcano. Sphagnum mosses were used to study bioaccumulation originating from atmospheric deposition, by measuring the tissue contents of major and a large suite of trace elements. Elements, such as Tl, Bi, As, Se, Cu and Cd, display high concentrations in the exposed samples close to the active vents. This study confirms the effectiveness of the moss bags technique also in active volcanic areas.

Camera trapping the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) in Sicily (Southern Italy): preliminary results

2009

The wildcat is an elusive species that is threatened with extinction in many parts of its range. In Sicily it still lives in a wide range of habitats. During 2006, camera traps were used to investigate the distribution of the wildcat over a 660 ha wide area on the south-western slope of Mount Etna (NE Sicily). Twelve out of 18 trapping stations provided a total of 24 photographs. Nine different individuals were identified using morphological criteria. Our work confirms the suitability of camera trapping for monitoring elusive carnivores.

Variation of H2O/CO2 and CO2/SO2 ratios of volcanic gases discharged by continuous degassing of Mount Etna volcano, Italy

2008

Radon measurements in the SE and NE flank of Mt. Etna (Italy)

2007

Abstract Soil Radon has been monitored at two fixed sites located in the northeastern and southeastern flank of Mt. Etna. In this study we report the comparison between in-soil Radon concentration trend recorded in the SE flank and that one recorded in the NE one, where an in-soil Radon detection system is operating since 2001. The aim of this work was to implement the investigation area finding a suitable radon detection site, in the south-east flank of Mt. Etna, in order to better understand possible links between Radon anomalies and volcano dynamic. Radon data collected in NE and SE sites were compared with the volcanic tremor, frequency of occurrence of earthquakes and seismic strain-re…

Cognate xenoliths in Mt. Etna lavas: witnesses of the high-velocity body beneath the volcano

2013

Various xenoliths have been found in lavas of the 1763 (“La Montagnola”), 2001, and 2002–03 eruptions at Mt. Etna whose petrographic evidence and mineral chemistry exclude a mantle origin and clearly point to a cognate nature. Consequently, cognate xenoliths might represent a proxy to infer the nature of the high-velocity body (HVB) imaged beneath the volcano by seismic tomography. Petrography allows us to group the cognate xenoliths as follows: i) gabbros with amphibole and amphibole-bearing mela-gabbros, ii) olivine-bearing leuco-gabbros, iii) leuco-gabbros with amphibole, and iv) Plg-rich leuco gabbros. Geobarometry estimates the crystallization pressure of the cognate xenoliths between …