The National Institute for Research and Development for Earth Physics (INCDFP) used, for the first time, state-of-the-art equipment for exploring mud volcanoes in the Tinutul Buzaului UNESCO Geopark.

According to INCDFP, a team from Geo Edu Lab (Laboratory of Applied Geophysics, Prevention and Education) mapped for the first time in 3D the basement of a muddy volcano in Romania, using state-of-the-art geoelectric technology.

"This approach shows us that the underground structure of the volcano corresponds only partially to what is seen on the surface and gives us a new perspective on these spectacular phenomena. In 2023, GeoEduLab, together with Iris Instruments team, conducted a measurement campaign in the area of Paclele Mici volcano. The campaign used FullWaver equipment, an innovative approach to geoelectric mapping used for the first time in Romania, but also internationally for this purpose," INCDFP reports.

According to the institute's researchers, the new technology allows detailed 3D mapping of the subsoil at a depth of more than 100 meters.

"Vulcanii Noroiosi / Mud Volcanoes in Buzau are not only a tourist attraction, but also a fascinating natural laboratory. They play an important role in ecology, geology and even the study of climate change. But studying them by classical geoelectric methods is difficult because of the highly conductive underground environment that dissipates current. This is where the FullWaver system comes in, a state-of-the-art equipment available in the Mobile Applied Geophysics Laboratory within GeoEduLab," the source says.

"This method of the FullWaver system has not been used before in Romania or anywhere in the world for this purpose. With the help of this system, we managed to geoelectrically map the area under the Paclele Mici mud volcano. The results were published in the Applied Sciences journal. The GeoEduLab team has started a new project to deeply explore the depths of mud volcanoes. It will use drone flights equipped with Lidar sensors to map the terrain in detail, photogrammetry to capture high-resolution images and thermal sensors to detect temperature variations. In addition, seismic and gravimetric measurements will be made. The acquisition, processing and integration of these data is an ambitious project that has not been carried out anywhere in the world. Thus, we hope to better understand not only the volcanoes in the Buzau area, but also the processes that stay at the base of this type of geological phenomenon from all over the world," the source says.

The project carried out by INCDFP involved non-invasive scientific investigations and was carried out with the support of the Tinutul Buzaului UNESCO Geopark and the Agency for Protected Areas.AGERPRES(RO - author: Florin Zafiu, editor: Karina Olteanu; EN - editor: Maria Voican)