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Volcanoes
 Volcanoes are the most spectacular surface manifestations of the geodynamic processes acting in the Earth interior. Volcanology is the science that studies their behavior.The knowledge of volcanoes and their mechanisms has a primary role in the comprehension of the evolution of our planet and is also fundamental for the evaluation of the related hazard. |
Italian active volcanoes
Ten active volcanoes are present in the Italian territory,"active" in that they gave manifestations in the last 10,000 years:
Colli Albani | Campi Flegrei | Vesuvio | Ischia | Stromboli | Lipari | Vulcano | Etna | Pantelleria | Isola Ferdinandea (see map).
Etna and Stromboli only have persistent activities, that is they erupt continuously or with intervals of months or a few years. Nevertheless, all the above listed volcanoes can produce eruptions within medium-long term.
These volcanic systems are monitored via integrated multiparametric systems. The collection of data about activity status of a volcano is supplemented by the study of data that have been collected during significant eruptions.INGV coordinates monitoring activity and applied research aimed to define the status of italian active volcanoes. Multiparametric monitoring is performed (geochemical, seismic, geodetic, geological), both with periodical direct measurements and interpretation of analytical data provided by chemical and physical laboratories.
Volcanological researches
INGV volcanological researches cover wide themes.They span from studies of the deep structure of the Earth and magma genesis to the reconstruction of the eruptive history to the study of ascent and eruption dynamics.
At the same time, monitoring activities allow to identify perturbations and anomalies of geophysical and geochemical parameters and variations in the eruptive activity, with the aim of forecasting possible future eruptions and the evolution of eruptive phenomena.
The INGV researches have a strong multidisciplinary character, integrating field and laboratory studies on the eruption products, data acquired by observational and monitoring systems and physical-mathematical modeling and numerical simulations of processes.
Italy has a long tradition in Volcanology. Plinio il Giovane letters to Tacitus, where the young nephew of Plinio il Vecchio describes the fate of his famous uncle and the dynamics of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius, actually represent the birth of Volcanology. The Osservatorio Vesuviano, founded in 1841 and at present the section of INGV in Naples, has been the first volcanological observatory in the world; numerous Italian volcanoes such as Vesuvius, Stromboli, Phlegrean Fields and Etna, are among the most studied and monitored volcanoes in the world. Today, INGV continues this tradition.
Projects and agreements
Volcanological researches and volcanic monitoring are performed within the framwork of projects and agreements with Italian Department of Civil Protection, the Ministry for Research and University, the European Union, the PNRA - Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide consortium, and other bodies.