Tracking the 2007–2023 magma-driven unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy)

Abstract

Abstract Understanding and managing unrest at a volcano include i) ascertaining the magmatic distribution and migration, and ii) tracking the evolution of the shallow plumbing system. Here we use multi-technique geodetic data, mechanical models, and petrological simulations to define both aspects for the ongoing (2005-present) unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera, Italy. Results show a deformation source exhibiting progressive widening and shallowing, from 5.9 to 3.9 kilometres. Concurrently, a deeper tabular source at 8 km depth experiences limited but constant deflation. Petrological calculations explain inflation of the shallower source resulting from the rise of 0.06 to 0.22 cubic kilometres of magma from depth ≥8 kilometres. Our analysis provides strong evidence that magma ascent to depths shallower than 8 kilometres is the ultimate driver behind the ongoing unrest. This merging of geodetic and petrological approaches to track the evolution of a plumbing system better constrains magma ascent at volcanoes experiencing unrest.