Imaging polar and dipolar sources of geophysical anomalies by probability tomography. Part II: Application to the Vesuvius volcanic area

TL;DR

This paper applies a novel probability tomography method to geophysical data from Vesuvius volcano, revealing detailed insights into its shallow structure, hydrothermal system, and deep tectonic features.

Contribution

It demonstrates the application of an improved probability tomography technique to complex volcanic data for detailed subsurface imaging.

Findings

Enhanced resolution of buried sources of anomalies.

Detailed imaging of Vesuvius's shallow and deep structures.

Insights into the volcano's hydrothermal and tectonic systems.

Abstract

In the previous part I, we have developed the generalized theory of the probability tomography method to image polar and dipolar sources of a vector or scalar geophysical anomaly field. The purpose of the new method was to improve the core-and-boundary resolution of the most probable buried sources of the anomalies detected in a datum domain. In this paper, which constitutes the part II of the same study, an application of the new approach to the Vesuvius volcano (Naples, Italy) is illustrated in detail by analyzing geoelectrical, self-potential and gravity datasets collected over the whole volcanic area. The purpose is to get new insights into the shallow structure and hydrothermal system of Vesuvius, and the deep geometry of the tectonic depression within which the volcano grew.