I-VOCAN project XL expedition

XL Expedition

During the XL Italian Antarctic Expedition, the I-VOLCAN team (Alessandro Bonforte, Gaetano Giudice, Graziano Larocca) carried out an extensive set of scientific and technical activities aimed at maintaining, strengthening, and expanding the multiparametric monitoring network on Mt. Rittmann and Mt. Melbourne. The work involved geophysical, geochemical, geomorphological, and technological operations, with the overarching goal of improving our understanding of volcanic processes and enhancing long-term observatory capabilities in Victoria Land.

Activities on Mt. Rittmann

On Mt. Rittmann, the team focused primarily on the maintenance and operation of the permanent seismo-acoustic station. All stored data were downloaded, and routine servicing was performed.
Inside the R5 ice-fumarolic cave, sediment samples were collected and analysed to investigate the potential presence of microbial ecosystems thriving in proximity to gas emissions; gas samples were also acquired to characterize the chemical environment supporting such life forms. A detailed survey of the R5 cavity was conducted, and radio-transmission tests were performed using the relay systems located on Mt. Melbourne and Mario Zucchelli Station (MZS).

Figure 1. Thermometer at the geochemical sampling site in the R5 cave on Rittmann (left) and seismic station on Rittmann (right).

Activities on Mt. Melbourne

At Mt. Melbourne, work centred on the maintenance of the geochemical station MG2 inside Aurora Cave and the network of autonomous temperature sensors installed in the surrounding area. Data retrieval and servicing were also completed for the permanent seismic stations SMC1 (Aurora Cave), SMC3 (MC3 Cave), and SMC4 (MC4 Cave).
The radio repeater above Aurora Cave was inspected and maintained, and a detailed 3D laser-scanner survey was carried out to document morphological changes within the cave, offering a new dataset to be compared with previous scans from the ICE-VOLC project.

Drone-based photogrammetric surveys were performed over the caldera, synchronised with the 3D scanning at the Aurora cave entrance, in collaboration with the MZS surveying service and the geodetic observatory personnel. Exploration and mapping activities continued in the main fumarolic caves of Mt. Melbourne, and gas samples were collected at key historical sites (Aurora, MC3, MC4).

Improvements to the energy supply of the stations included the installation of a wind generator and solar panels at MC4 and Aurora cave. In addition, the battery packs for the MG2 and Aurora seismic stations were relocated further upslope, with power supplied to the instrumentation via a new four-core cable.
GNSS acquisition tests—conducted both inside and outside Aurora and MC3 caves—were performed simultaneously with external homologous points, and geodetic surveys were completed on the benchmarks of the Melbourne network and the broader regional reference frame.

Figure 2. Maintenance at the seismic station inside the MC4 cave on Melbourne (left) and charging system for powering the seismic station at the MC4 cave on Melbourne (right).

Figure 3. Aurora Cave, close-up of geochemical and thermal sensors (left and center), and the charging system for powering the seismic station at Aurora Cave on Mt. Melbourne (right).

Objectives Achieved

All major planned objectives were successfully met. In summary, the expedition achieved:

Gas sampling in the main fumarolic caves on Mt. Melbourne (Aurora, MC3, MC4).
Full maintenance of the geochemical station in Aurora Cave and of seismic stations at Aurora, MC3, MC4, plus the installation of a temporary seismic station at benchmark 602.
Installation of a permanent mount for solar panels and a wind generator at MC4.
Installation of a permanent mount for solar panels and a wind generator at Aurora Cave.
Data download from the geochemical station and autonomous sensors at Aurora.
Gas sampling inside the R5 cave on Mt. Rittmann.
Maintenance of the Rittmann seismo-acoustic station, including replacement of a faulty digitizer.
Completion of photogrammetric surveys of the caldera and GNSS acquisition tests, in collaboration with the technical services of MZS.
Geodetic measurements on Mt. Melbourne benchmarks and the surrounding regional network.
Migration of the acquisition software for Melbourne’s geochemical and seismic stations to a virtual machine on the ISACCO observatory system.
A public presentation of the project activities at MZS, including 360-degree video footage.
Development of scripts for automatic retrieval of diagnostic parameters from network elements (seismic stations, geochemical station, radio systems), enabling more efficient early-warning and maintenance procedures.
Preparation of real-time visualizations of selected signals on the base monitors, in cooperation with the IT services.