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Bonaccorso Alessandro - CV

Personal Information
Family name: Bonaccorso First name: Alessandro

Date of birth: 14 April 1961- Nationality: Italian

Current Position: Research Director, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

Personal Home page: http://www.ct.ingv.it/index.php/organizzazione/chi-siamo/curriculum-del-personale/130-bonaccorso-alessandro

 

Main research interests

  • Physical volcanology: deformation and strain on volcanic and geodynamic areas, deformation modelling of volcanic sources for several eruptions, theoretical model of deformation and strain produced by eruptions, multi-parametric studies of volcanic processes.
  • Geophysics applied to volcanology, Volcano geodesy ,borehole tiltmeters and strainmeter).
  • Monitoring networks managing. Implementation of new technology for the high precision monitoring of ground deformation, deep borehole installations.
  • Eruption management and volcano hazard assessment during major eruptions.

Bibliometric indicators
ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4770-6006
Scopus Author ID: 56269524400 ResearcherID: H-4778-2011
Publications: >100 publications
h-index: 42 Google Scholar (https://scholar.44c28697135b262bde92280084af3f1f-gdprlock/citations?user=0npYb_EAAAAJ&hl=it)
i10-index (Google Scholar): 81; n. citations: 4284 (30 May 2025)
h-index: 37 Scopus (https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56269524400)

 

Education

  • 1989-91 Researcher Fellow funded by Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche (CNR) with Fellowship at Department of Earth & Space Sciences, University Los Angeles California (UCLA)
  • 1988-89 Research grant funded by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
  • 1986 Master degree in Physics (Department of Physics, University of Catania)

Professional Experience

  • 2009 – now Research Director at Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
  • 2002 - 08 Director of Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia – Osservatorio Etneo (2 terms)
  • 2003 Research Director – Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
  • 2001 Senior Researcher, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
  • 1994 - 2001 Researcher (permanent position), Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche (CNR) at Istituto Internazionale di Vulcanologia (IIV)
  • 1992 - 1994 Research contract funded by Gruppo Nazionale per la Vulcanologia (GNV)

Main national / international scientific programs and projects

  • 1996-98 Supervisor of Research Unit “Deformation” within the Project “Etna” of Istituto Internazionale di Vulcanologia (IIV-CNR), financed by Italian National Group for Volcanology - GNV
  • 1996-98 Coordinator of the Research Unit “Deformation” in Program “Surveillance” IIV-CNR .
  • 1996-98 Supervisor of Research Unit ‘Deformation modelling’ of the project “Modelling of the dynamic process inside Mt. Melbourne (Northern Victoria Land)” financed by PNRA (National Project Research in Antarctica).
  • 1996-98 In charge (responsible) of the Research Unit “Design surface strain & validation multiparameter” in Project “Tekvolc” (Technique and Methods Innovation in Geophysical Research, Monitoring and Early Warning at Active Volcanoes) in the 4th Frame ‘Environment & Climate’ programme of the European Commission, contract ENV4-CT96-0251
  • 1998-2000 In charge of IIV-CNR Research Unit in the project “Emews” (European Mobile Early Warning System), in the 4th Frame ‘Environment & Climate’ programme of the European Commission contract ENV4-CT98-0728. Funding 24.000 ECU
  • 2000-02 Supervisor of the Research Unit “Deformation Modelling” in the 2000-02 GNV project “Study and constraints on intermediate storage, magma uprise and conduits through modelling of strain fields, velocity and attenuation tomography at Mt. Etna”.
  • 2004-06 Coordinator and supervisor, in the framework of Italian PNRA (National Project Research in Antarctica), of the project “Geophysical and Volcanological Observatory of Mt. Melbourne”. Funding 70.000 euro
  • 2004-2008 Coordinator and scientific director of the geophysical and volcanological activities of the Program “Upgrading and improving of the Seismic and Volcanological Surveillance System in Sicily”, supported by the Institutional Agreement between Civil Protection National Department, Sicilia Region and INGV. (Project Funding 13.756.740 euro)
  • 2009-2011 In charge of the Research Unit “Strainmeters installations at Etna volcano” inside the Italian FIRB project “Development of New Technologies for the Defense and Protection of Territory from Natural Hazards”.
  • 2013-2014 In charge of the Research Unit “Strainmeters installations at Etna volcano” inside the Italian PON project “Development of research centers for the study of volcanic areas at high risk and their geothermal potential in the context of Mediterranean geological and environmental dynamic”
  • 2017-2018 In charge of Research Unit “Strainmeters” in “TRANsient of StraIn and stress ExperimeNT in Italy – TRANSIENTI”, Premiale project financed by MIUR (Italian Ministry of Research and University)
  • 2019-2021 Partecipant EC project "European Volcano Early Warning system (EVE)", Union Civil Protection Mecanism - Call UCPM-2018-PP-AG (Prevention and preparedness in civil protection and marine pollution),
  • 2019-2021 In charge of of the WP2 – Task 9 “Optimization of the acquisition of high-precision signals from the bore-hole strainmeters installed at Etna volcano”, Agreement between INGV and Italian Presidency of Ministers Council – Department of Civil Protection
  • 2019-2023 In charge of WP3 EC project “SiC optical nano-strain-meters for pico-detection in Geosciences (Sic nano for picoGeo) EC Call: H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020 (FET-Open – Novel ideas for radically new technologies) (WP Funding 405.575 euro)
  • 2022 – now, In charge of the WP8 in SiciliAn MicronanOTecH Research And innovation Center, acronym SAMOTHRACE (Mission 4, Component 2 Investment 1.5, funded from the European Union – NextGenerationEU, funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRPP - Italian PNRR). (WP Funding 1.080.000 euro

 

Responsibility activities for INGV

  • 1996-2000 Supervisor of Research Group “Deformation” at IIV-CNR .
  • 2001-02 Head of Research Group “Deformation” at INGV - Sezione di Catania .
  • 2002-008 Director of Istituto Nazionale Geofisica e Vulcanologia – Osservatorio Etneo, (two mandates).
  • 2002 – 2008 Scientific supervisor on behalf of INGV and management of the activities related to several eruptions and associated crisis (Etna 2002-03, 2004-5, 2006; Stromboli 2002-03, 2007).
  • 2002-2008 Participation at several High Risk Commission and Civil Protections meetings during the eruptive crisis on behalf of the INGV
  • 2002 – 2008 INGV consultant for Civil Protection Department during several eruptions
  • 2002 -2008 Member of INGV “Collegio d’Istituto”, the organism which provided the guidelines for the organization and implementation of the scientific network of the INGV
  • 2004 – 2008 Member of the Control Committee of the Program for extension of the monitoring systems in Sicily as agreement between Sicily Region, Italian Civil Protection Department and INGV
  • 2009-2013 Member of Internal Scientific Relations Office (URSI), the INGV Office devoted to supporting the INGV for the scientific programming
  • 2019 – Working Group for “Terms of reference” for Project Research Lines of INGV Department “Vulcani”
  • 2019 – INGV Scientific referent for scenario definition in the DPC “Campi Flegrei 2019 exercise”
  •  2021 Working Group “INGV for the PNRR” for the identification and preparation of projects for the Italian PNRR

 

Main research stages and visits

  • 1991 Research grant at University California Los Angeles (UCLA) Department of Earth and Space Sciences, in collaboration and under supervision of Prof. Paul Davis
  • 1996, 2002 Research visits at Oxford University, in collaboration with Prof. Paul Davis
  • 2016 short-term visiting position at Earthquake Research Institute (ERI), Tokyo University, approved project 

Research Expeditions
1990-91, 1995-96, 1997-98: During winter seasons 1990-91, 1995-96 and 1997-98, respectively, participated at 6th, 11th and 13th Italian Expeditions in Antarctica in the framework of Italian PNRA (National Project Research in Antarctica) for the implementation and management of the geophysical and volcanic observatory (seismic and tilt networks) of Mt. Melbourne volcano (Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica).

 

Granted patents
Realization of an international patent of new instrumentation. Title of invention ‘Device for checking and calibrating high precision inclinometric sensors’ (1999). Applicant ref. 11c204012W024

 

Editorial Boards of International Journals
• Editor of the “Mt. Etna: Volcano Laboratory” Monograph of American Geophysical Union (2004).
• Associate Editor of Annals of Geophysics (2009-2013)
• Guest Editor of the Frontiers Research Topics “Exploring volcanic paroxysmal explosive activity from magma source to ground and atmosphere”, https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/5375/exploring-volcanic-paroxysmal-explosive-activity-from-magma-source-to-ground-and-atmosphere, 2019-2020
• Guest Editor of Special Issue in Remote Sensing (MDPI) “Volcanic processes monitoring and hazard assessment using integration of remote sensing and ground-based techniques”, https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing/special_issues/Volcanic_Monitoring_Hazard_Assessment 2021-2022
• Guest Editor of the Frontiers Research Topics “Exploring volcanic paroxysmal explosive activity from magma source to ground and atmosphere – Volume II”, https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/33962/exploring-volcanic-paroxysmal-explosive-activity-from-magma-source-to-ground-and-atmosphere---volume, 2022
Steering Committee and Research Evaluation
• Member of scientific committee for Volcanology Observation Service of Institute National des Sciences de l’Universe (INSU, France) 2010- 2013
• Member of Evaluation Experts Group for Earth Sciences (GEV 04) of National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institute (VQR 2004-2010) 2011-2013
• Member of Evaluation Experts Group for Earth Sciences (GEV 04) of National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institute (VQR 2011-2014) 2015-2016
• President of Section “Geophysics and Environment Physics” at 103° Congress of Italian Society of Physics (SIF), Trento, 11-15 Sep 2017
• Expert Evaluator for H2020 FET-OPEN - FETOPEN-01-2018-2019-2020: FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), 2018

 

Other relevant scientific activities
• University Lectures at Masters on volcano risk management (2004, 2007, 2022)
• Scientific supervisor and author of the scientific film “The perfect Eruption – Etna 2002-03” produced by INGV and RAI-Italian Television, winner of national/international prizes and awards.
• 2009-today collaboration with Department Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution (Washington) for the realization of the first borehole dilatometer network at Etna.
• 2014, National Scientific Qualification (ASN) to Professor level I (Idoneità Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale (ASN) a Professore I^ fascia) sector 04/A4 Geophysics (ref. Notice 2012, DD n.222 / 2012).
• Author of 2 Divulgation Books: Bonaccorso A. et al.., Terre di Fuoco – Etna, Stromboli e Vulcano nelle collezioni Alinari, 109 pp., Alinari – Firenze, 2005; - Bonaccorso A. e Branca S., Fotografia storica alla luce del vulcano – Fondo fotografico Gaetano Ponte (1876-1955), 192 pp, Le Nove Muse Editore, 2010, ISBN: 978-88-87820-47; Bonaccorso A. e Branca S., Fotografia storica alla luce del vulcano – Fondo fotografico Gaetano Ponte (1876-1955), 192 pp, Le Nove Muse Editore, 2010, ISBN: 978-88-87820-47-8

 

International Prizes/Awards


• certificate of merit with medal for the work carried out during the "Etna 1991-92" volcanic emergency issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, 1996.
• Award issued by ‘Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters’ (EMERCOM of Russia) for operations during the Etna 2002-03 eruption, 2003.
• Several awards and prizes as scientific supervisor and author of the scientific film “The perfect Eruption – Etna 2002-03” produced by INGV and RAI-Italian Television, e.g.:
- Special award at ‘International documentary film Festival – Sondrio 2008’ as the best scientific documentary on protected areas;
- special award for the scientific content, DocScient 2009 – Rome;
- selected for the International Bergfilm-Festival, Tegernsee (Germany), 2008
- selected for the 11° Moscow Film Festival “Vertical”, Moscow, 2008

 
First 10 most cited papers (Google Scholar, 30 May 2025)
1. Bonaccorso, A. et al. Dynamics of the December 2002 flank failure and tsunami at Stromboli volcano inferred by volcanological and geophysical observations, Geophys. Res. Lett, 2003, DOI:10.1029/2003GL017702, Times Cited: 226
2. Patanè, D; De Gori, P; Chiarabba, C, Bonaccorso A., Magma ascent and the pressurization of Mount Etna's volcanic system, Science, 2003, DOI: 10.1126/science.1080653 - Times Cited: 219
3. Bonforte, A., Bonaccorso, A. et al., Feeding system and magma storage beneath Mt. Etna as revealed by recent inflation/deflation cycles, Geophys .Res. Lett., 2007, DOI: 10.1029/2007JB005334, Times Cited: 153
4. Bonaccorso, A. e t al., Dike emplacement forerunning the Etna July 2001 eruption modeled through continuous tilt and GPS data, Geophys. Res. Lett, DOI: 10.1029/2001GL014397, Times Cited: 122
5. Bonaccorso A., Davis PM., Models of ground deformation from vertical volcanic conduits with application to eruptions of Mount St. Helens and Mount Etna, J. Geophys. Res. SE 104 (B5), 10531-10542, Times Cited: 122
6. Bonaccorso A., et al., The initial phases of the 2008-2009 Mount Etna eruption: A multidisciplinary approach for hazard assessment, J. Geophys. Res., DOI: 10.1029/2010JB007906, Times Cited: 122
7. Bonaccorso, A. et al., Composite ground deformation pattern forerunning the 2004-2005 Mount Etna eruption, Geophys. Res. Lett, 2006, DOI: 10.1029/2005JB004206, Times Cited: 109
8. Bonaccorso, A;. et al., Analytical and 3-D numerical modelling of Mt. Etna (Italy) volcano inflation Geophys. J. Int., 2005, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2005.02777.x, Times Cited: 85
9. Bonaccorso, A;. et al., Fast deformation processes and eruptive activity at Mount Etna (Italy), J. Geophys. Res., 1996, DOI: 10.1029/96JB01151, Times Cited: 80
10. Bonaccorso, A., Dynamic inversion of ground deformation data for modelling volcanic sources (Etna 1991-93), Geophys. Res. Lett., 1996, DOI: 10.1029/96GL00418, Times Cited: 76


10 selected recent papers (2012 - 2022)
Bonaccorso A, Calvari S, Linde A, Sacks S., Boschi E., Dynamics of the shallow plumbing system investigated from borehole strainmeters and cameras during the 15 March 2007 Vulcanian paroxysm at Stromboli volcano, Earth Planetary Science Letters, 357-358, 249-256, doi: 10.1016,j.epsl.2012.09.009, 2012
Bonaccorso, A.; Currenti, G.; Linde, A., Sacks S., New data from borehole strainmeters to infer lava fountain sources (Etna 2011-2012), Geophysical Research Letters,40-14,3579-3584, DOI:10.1002/grl.50692, 2013.
Alparone S., Bonaccorso A., Bonforte A., Currenti G., Long-term stress-strain analysis of volcano flank instability: the eastern sector of Etna from 1980 to 2012, Journal Geophysical Research, 118, 1-11, doi: 10.1002/jgrb.50364, 2013
Bonaccorso A. and Calvari S., Major effusive eruptions and recent lava fountains: balance between expected and erupted magma volumes at Etna volcano, Geophysical Res. Letters, 40, 1-5, doi: 1002/2013GL058291, 2013
Bonaccorso A., Bonforte A., Gambino S., Twenty-five years continuous borehole tilt and vertical displacement data at Mt. Etna: insights on long-term volcanic dynamics, Geophys. Res. Lett., DOI: 10.1002/2015GL066517,2015
Bonaccorso A., Linde A., Currenti G., Sacks S., Sicali A., The borehole dilatometers network of Mt. Etna: a powerful tool to detect and infer volcano dynamics, Journal Geophys. Res. S.E., 121, 2016, doi:10.1002/2016JB012914.2016
Bonaccorso A., Y. Aoki, E. Rivalta, Dike propagation energy balance from deformation modeling and seismic release, Geophys. Res. Lett. 2017, 44, doi:10.1002/2017GL074008.
Bonaccorso A., Calvari S., : A new approach to investigate an eruptive paroxysmal sequence using camera and strainmeter networks: lessons from the 3-5 December 2015 activity at Etna volcano, Earth Plan. Sc. Letters, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.07.020
Bonaccorso A., L Carleo, G Currenti, A Sicali, Magma Migration at Shallower Levels and Lava Fountains Sequence as Revealed by Borehole Dilatometers on Etna Volcano, Frontiers in Earth Science, 800, 2021
Bonaccorso, A., Carleo, L., Currenti, G., Bilotta, G., Cappello, A., & Ganci, G. (2023). A new approach for real-time erupted volume estimation from high-precision strain detection validated by satellite topographic monitoring. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, e2023GL105424. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL105424

 

Presentations and convener activity at Conferences and Congresses
In addition AB has presented more than 150 presentations at International and national conference and workshop in 1989 – 2024 (including more than 15 invited /solicited talks, and more than 15 convener or chairman of session)