Deformation at Mefite d’Ansanto area (Italy) through an interdisciplinary approach: GNSS Network and Digital Elevation Model

In the frame of FURTHER project, “The role of FlUids in the pReparaTory pHase of EaRthquakes in Southern Apennines”, (https://progetti.ingv.it/en/further), consisting in a multidisciplinary study based on seismological, geodetic, and geochemical observations to understand the role of fluids in the seismogenic processes in the Southern Apennines, we focus on the geodetic monitoring at Mefite d’Ansanto (AV) deep CO2 degassing area located at the northern tip of the Mw6.9, 1980 Irpinia fault. Mefite d’Ansanto represents the largest low-temperature non-volcanic CO2 emission of the Earth (Chiodini et al. 2010).

To provide an improved picture of the regional crustal deformation and investigate the relationship among deformation, crustal fluids, and physical-hydraulic properties pattern, we installed a new GNSS network and realized a detailed Digital Elevation Model (DEM).

The new local GNSS network, MefiteNet, consists of four stations (one permanent and three survey-style stations) that monitor the degassing area of approximately 1 km² by April 2022.

Two aerial photogrammetric surveys were performed over Mefite area with a quadcopter drone to obtain a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to estimate the amount and the morphological variations of the Mefite lake level in space and time. The flight technique, that takes into account the topography, was chosen to ensure a constant pixel size on the ground and avoid lack of aerial coverage.

We show the first results of the GNSS data analysis recorded by the MefiteNet and the preliminary results regarding morphological analysis.