The project collects in a single platform the main catalogues relating to the historical eruptions of the Sicilian volcano and integrates them with the data of the volcanological monitoring carried out by the Etna Observatory
THENational Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) just published DANTE, the database that collects and systematizes over 2500 years of eruptive history of Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
DANTE (Database of Etna's historical eruptions), created by the INGV Sections of Catania - Etna Observatory and Pisa, is the result of a critical review of the main catalogues already published previously, integrated and updated with monitoring data volcanological work carried out by the Etna Observatory.
“The new database represents a unique and accessible resource, which brings together in a single platform information that until now was scattered across various scientific publications, many of which were difficult to access for the non-specialist public”, explains Stephen Branca, Director of the INGV Etna Observatory and co-author of the platform. “The project is designed to be dynamic: it will in fact be open to new contributions and updates based on historical, geological and future scientific sources”.
Since the type and quality of information available for compilation are significantly different, DANTE is divided into two time intervals: from the 6th century BC to the 16th century AD, and from the 17th century to today. While the first interval is based on geological, stratigraphic, tephrostratigraphic and geochronological data derived from the 2011 geological map of Etna and its subsequent updates, the interval up to the present day is based on data extracted from the numerous scientific documentations available in literature, integrated with data from volcanological monitoring of the last 50 years.
With this publication, INGV confirms its commitment to documentation, study and disclosure of Etna's volcanic activity aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge of volcanic hazards.
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