Etna 2018 eruption: a use case by INGV using the DEA service

The 2018 Christmas eruption of Mount Etna was reconstructed through an interactive DEA story by INGV as part of the GET-IT (Geohazards Early Digital Twin Component) project.

How can the applications available on the DestinE Platform help us understand and manage volcanic risk?

INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia), Italy’s national research institution for geophysical and volcanic phenomena, has developed a compelling use case that answers this question using the DEA service on the DestinE Platform.

The use case was successfully presented at the Living Planet Symposium (Vienna, 23–27 June 2025), where it attracted strong interest from representatives of research institutions.

As part of the GET-IT (Geohazards Early Digital Twin Component) project, the 2018 Christmas eruption of Mount Etna – the volcano’s first flank eruption in a decade – was reconstructed through an interactive DEA story. Although the lava flow was relatively modest, the eruption was notable for its intense seismic activity and significant ground deformation, culminating in a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that affected nearby villages.

This digital narrative provides a rich, data-driven exploration of the eruption’s dynamics, offering valuable insights to both scientists and decision-makers.

The DEA story presents a range of visual and analytical elements, such as:

  • 3D surface deformation of Etna derived from InSAR satellite and GNSS data
  • Lava flow dynamics from four distinct active vents
  • “What-if” scenarios showing potential impacts of lava flow on nearby populated areas
  • Volcanic inflation and deflation over time, observed via InSAR satellite time series
  • Volcanic source modelling
  • Evolution of ash and SO₂ mass throughout the eruption

This use case demonstrates how the DestinE Platform effectively empowers stakeholders by providing advanced tools that support decision-making in risk management, emergency planning, and research.

Explore the 2018 Etna eruption story on DEA (login required)!

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The following Terms and Conditions are released by the European Commission and will be applicable for the initial stage of the operation of DestinE, which is still under development.

Please read them before registering for the upgraded access to DestinE.

ARTICLE 1: DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply:

Academia and Research: Public academia and research teams contributing or participating to the development of DestinE, either directly or through EU-funded research projects and activities or through relevant EU Member States or Associated Countries programmes or initiatives.

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Member States: the States which are members of the European Union.

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2.4. The User shall not use the DestinE Services for Users Granted Upgraded Access and DestinE Data or any associated data, software, documentation, or other information for any purpose that contradicts the purposes outlined in Articles 2.1 and 2.3 without the prior written consent of the European Commission.

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ARTICLE 8: CHANGES TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The European Commission reserves the right to modify or update these Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice. The User’s continued use of the DestinE Services for Users Granted Upgraded Access and DestinE Data shall be deemed acceptance of the modified or updated Terms and Conditions.

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