Flank collapse and magma dynamics interactions on stratovolcanoes: InSAR and GNSS observations at Mt. Etna (Italy)

Spatial-temporal ground deformation patterns of volcanoes is one of the major and more impressive observations of the volcanic dynamic. Cause of his numerous volcanic, seismic, and gravitational phenomena, Mt. Etna is one of the more studied volcanoes worldwide. We processed and analyzed GNSS and InSAR dataset from January 2015 - March 2021 period. In addition to inflation and deflation displacement pattern, we observe a spectacular velocity modulation of the superfast seaward motion of the eastern flank. Rare flank motion reversal indicates that short-term contraction of the volcano occasionally overcomes the gravity-controlled sliding of the eastern flank. On the other hand, fast dike intrusion guided the acceleration of the sliding flank, potentially evolving into sudden collapses, fault creep, and seismic release. These observations can be of relevance for addressing short term scenarios and forecasting of the quantity of magma accumulating within the plumbing system.