The VEI 2 Christmas 2018 Etna Eruption: A small but intense eruptive event or the starting phase of a larger one?

The Etna flank eruption started on 24 December 2018 lasted a few days and involved the opening of an eruptive fissure, accompanied by a seismic swarm and shallow earthquakes, and by large and widespread ground deformation especially on the eastern flank of the volcano. Lava fountains and ash plume from the uppermost eruptive fissure have accompanied the opening stage causing disruption of Catania international airport, and have been followed by a quiet lava effusion within the barren Valle del Bove depression until 27 December. This is the first flank eruption occurring at Etna in the last decade, during which eruptive activity was confined to the summit craters and resulted in lava fountains and lava flow output from the crater rims. In this paper we use ground and satellite remote sensing techniques to describe the sequence of events, quantify the erupted volumes of lava, gas and tephra, and assess volcanic hazard.