Review of early ground deformation observations by electronic distance measurements (EDM) on active Sicilian volcanoes: valuable data and information for long-term analyses

Abstract

Electronic distance measurements (EDM) represent one of the first methods to detect ground deformation on volcanoes. Used since 1964, they enable acquiring precise distance measurements, whose time repetition may highlight changes related to volcanic activity. This technique was widely used on volcanoes from the 1970s to the early 2000s and has been used many times to model position, geometry, and volumes of magmatic and hydrothermal sources. This paper reports the EDM experiences, results and data acquired on Sicilian volcanoes (Etna, Vulcano, Stromboli and Pantelleria) from the early 1970s, which have played a major role in the birth of the volcano-geodesy for volcanic process knowledge, making the Sicilian volcanoes among those with the longest geodetic record in the world.