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Detecting volcano-related underground mass changes with a quantum gravimeter
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  • Laura Antoni-Micollier,
  • Daniele Carbone,
  • Vincent Ménoret,
  • Jean Lautier-Gaud,
  • Thomas King,
  • Filippo Greco,
  • Alfio Messina,
  • Danilo Contrafatto,
  • Bruno Desruelle
Laura Antoni-Micollier
iXblue, Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine
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Daniele Carbone
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Vincent Ménoret
iXblue, Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine
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Jean Lautier-Gaud
iXblue, Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine
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Thomas King
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania
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Filippo Greco
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Alfio Messina
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
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Danilo Contrafatto
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo
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Bruno Desruelle
iXblue, Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine
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Abstract

We present the world’s first time series acquired in the summit area of an active volcano with an absolute atom interferometry gravimeter. The device was installed ~2.5 km from the active craters of Mt. Etna volcano and produced a continuous high–quality gravity time series, despite the unfavorable environmental conditions at the installation site and the occurrence of phases of high volcanic tremor during the acquisition interval. Comparison with data from other gravimeters installed elsewhere on Mt. Etna highlights correlated anomalies, demonstrating that the quantum device measured gravity variations driven by bulk mass changes. The latter are reflective of volcanic processes, involving the dynamics of magma and exsolved gas in the upper part of Mt. Etna’s plumbing system. Our results confirm the operational possibilities of quantum gravimetry and open new horizons for the application of the gravity method in geophysics.