High Detailed Lava Flows Hazard Maps by a Cellular Automata Approach - Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Application - page 80

High Detailed Lava Flows Hazard Maps
by a Cellular Automata Approach

William Spataro 1 , , Rocco Rongo 2 , Valeria Lupiano 2 , Maria Vittoria Avolio 1 ,
Donato D'Ambrosio 1 and Giuseppe A. Trunfio 3

1 Department of Mathematics and High Performance Computing Center,
University of Calabria, via Pietro Bucci, I-87036 Rende, Italy
[e-mail]
2 Department of Earth Sciences and High Performance Computing Center,
University of Calabria, Italy
3 Department of Architecture, Planning and Design, University of Sassari, Italy

Abstract. The determination of areas exposed to be interested by new eruptive
events in volcanic regions is crucial for diminishing consequences in terms of hu-
man causalities and damages of material properties. In this paper, we illustrate a
methodology for defining flexible high-detailed lava invasion hazard maps. Spe-
cific scenarios can be extracted at any time from the simulation database, for
land-use and civil defence planning in the long-term, to quantify, in real-time, the
impact of an imminent eruption, and to assess the efficiency of protective mea-
sures. Practical applications referred to some inhabited areas of Mt Etna (South
Italy), Europe's most active volcano, show the methodology's appropriateness in
this field.

Keywords: Cellular automata, Lava flows simulation, Hazard maps, Land use
planning, Mt Etna.

1 Introduction

The use of thematic maps of volcanic hazard is of fundamental relevance to support
policy managers and administrators in taking the most correct land use planning and
proper actions that are required during an emergency phase. In particular, hazard maps
are a key tool for emergency management, describing the threat that can be expected at a
certain location for future eruptions. At Mt. Etna (Sicily, Italy), the most active volcano
in Europe, the majority of events occurred in the last four centuries report damage to hu-
man properties in numerous towns on the volcano flanks [1]. In last decades, the risk of
the Etnean area has increased due to continued urbanization [2], with the consequence
that new eruptions may involve even greater risks. Different countermeasures based on
embankments or channels were adopted in recent crises to stop or deflect lava ([3],
[4]). However, such kinds of interventions are generally performed while the eruption
is in progress, with the consequence of both not guarantying their effectiveness, besides
inevitably putting into danger the safety of involved persons. For the purpose of indi-
viduating affected areas in advance, one response to such challenges is the numerical

Corresponding author.