3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy

Abstract Magnetotelluric investigations can reconstruct features within magmatic systems, such as the distribution of melt and fluid and the volcano-tectonic structures. Here, we use this approach to image the subsurface beneath the active Campi Flegrei caldera, providing new details on the crustal...

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Main Authors: Roberto Isaia, Antonio Troiano, Maria Giulia Di Giuseppe, Claudio De Paola, Joachim Gottsmann, Fabio Pagliara, Victoria C. Smith, Michael J. Stock
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02185-5
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author Roberto Isaia
Antonio Troiano
Maria Giulia Di Giuseppe
Claudio De Paola
Joachim Gottsmann
Fabio Pagliara
Victoria C. Smith
Michael J. Stock
author_facet Roberto Isaia
Antonio Troiano
Maria Giulia Di Giuseppe
Claudio De Paola
Joachim Gottsmann
Fabio Pagliara
Victoria C. Smith
Michael J. Stock
author_sort Roberto Isaia
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Magnetotelluric investigations can reconstruct features within magmatic systems, such as the distribution of melt and fluid and the volcano-tectonic structures. Here, we use this approach to image the subsurface beneath the active Campi Flegrei caldera, providing new details on the crustal structure down to 20 kilometers. The imaging shows a multilevel magmatic architecture controlled by deep and shallow volcano-tectonic structures. The magma plumbing system primarily manifests as a low resistivity anomaly located at 8–20 kilometers depth and interpreted as a mid-lower crustal mush zone containing ~10% melt. This zone transitions upwards through a channel-like low resistivity structure containing ~8% of melt and a medium resistivity sector where small lenses of heterogeneously distributed magma accumulate and cool. Our new subsurface imaging attests to a transcrustal mush system that has been revealed beneath Campi Flegrei, with important implications for interpretation of monitoring data at one of the world’s most hazardous caldera.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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series Communications Earth & Environment
spelling doaj-art-db1956e921f74699a56ba4e8fc4ea55a2025-08-20T03:41:40ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-03-016111610.1038/s43247-025-02185-53D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern ItalyRoberto Isaia0Antonio Troiano1Maria Giulia Di Giuseppe2Claudio De Paola3Joachim Gottsmann4Fabio Pagliara5Victoria C. Smith6Michael J. Stock7Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio VesuvianoIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio VesuvianoIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio VesuvianoIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio VesuvianoLudwig Maximilian University MunichIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio VesuvianoResearch Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of OxfordDiscipline of Geology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College DublinAbstract Magnetotelluric investigations can reconstruct features within magmatic systems, such as the distribution of melt and fluid and the volcano-tectonic structures. Here, we use this approach to image the subsurface beneath the active Campi Flegrei caldera, providing new details on the crustal structure down to 20 kilometers. The imaging shows a multilevel magmatic architecture controlled by deep and shallow volcano-tectonic structures. The magma plumbing system primarily manifests as a low resistivity anomaly located at 8–20 kilometers depth and interpreted as a mid-lower crustal mush zone containing ~10% melt. This zone transitions upwards through a channel-like low resistivity structure containing ~8% of melt and a medium resistivity sector where small lenses of heterogeneously distributed magma accumulate and cool. Our new subsurface imaging attests to a transcrustal mush system that has been revealed beneath Campi Flegrei, with important implications for interpretation of monitoring data at one of the world’s most hazardous caldera.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02185-5
spellingShingle Roberto Isaia
Antonio Troiano
Maria Giulia Di Giuseppe
Claudio De Paola
Joachim Gottsmann
Fabio Pagliara
Victoria C. Smith
Michael J. Stock
3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy
Communications Earth & Environment
title 3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy
title_full 3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy
title_fullStr 3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy
title_full_unstemmed 3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy
title_short 3D magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the Campi Flegrei caldera, southern Italy
title_sort 3d magnetotelluric imaging of a transcrustal magma system beneath the campi flegrei caldera southern italy
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02185-5
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