New insights into the understanding of the bradyseism currently occurring in the Campi Flegrei area

A conceptual model of the Solfatara system has been developed: it is in the intermediate aquifer that the phenomenon of bradyseism originates. This was revealed by a study conducted by the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), in collaboration with the company Steam, and published in the journal Solid Earth. The study also provides new insights for monitoring the phenomenon’s evolution and understanding future scenarios.

The research is the result of a long-standing collaboration between the Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources of the National Research Council in Pisa (CNR-IGG), the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (with branches in Naples and Pisa), and the company Steam srl, which specializes in the development of geothermal energy technologies. The study has added new elements to the understanding of the ongoing bradyseism in the Campi Flegrei area.

The study specifically analyzed the fumarolic fluids of the Solfatara together with various types of geoscientific data, leading to the development of a conceptual model of the Solfatara’s magmatic-hydrothermal system. It demonstrates that the intermediate aquifer, located at a depth of 2.7 to 4.0 kilometers, is where the bradyseismic crisis originates. This is caused by gradual heating and pressurization processes within the aquifer itself.

Reference

Marini L., Principe C., Lelli M. (2025). Time changes during the last 40 years in the Solfatara magmatic-hydrothermal system (Campi Flegrei, Italy): new conceptual model and future scenarios. Solid Earth, 16, 551-578.

For more info: Matteo Lelli, CNR-IGG (matteo.lelli@cnr.it).