Coupled volcano edifice-and continental margin deformation and instability at Mt Etna, Italy

Abstract

Mt Etna’s volcano edifice, known as Europe’s largest volcano, reveals a large -scale instability at its eastern flank. In order to investigate the extension of this deformation and coherent instability, a new high -resolution 2D/3D reflection seismic dataset was acquired during research cruise M86/2. The dataset shows in high detail the deformation pattern at the submerged continental margin offshore Mt Etna. The limits of the continental margin’s deformation were identified by transpressional and compressive tectonic structures. Based on the new dataset and available onshore data, we propose a coupled volcano edifice and continental margin deformation, leading to a large -scale on - and offshore instability.