Monitoring Mount Etna

In a novel example of the broad applications of LoRaWAN® Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, Kerlink’s Wirnet™ gateway is powering a radon-sensing project on Europe’s most active volcano, Mount Etna.

The recently deployed network linking Mount Etna on the east coast of Sicily to scientists in Clermont-Ferrand, France, 1,200 kilometers away, transmits radon measurement data, which helps scientists monitor activity of the volcano. Radon is a natural radioactive element found in high concentrations near volcanoes and uranium deposits and is one of the potential precursors of volcanic eruptions.

For many years, scientists have measured radon in the soil of the 3,300m-high Etna, which required on-site visits. A new system of autonomous radon sensors, designed and deployed by French scientists in Clermont-Ferrand and supported by the LoRaWAN® network, remotely and continuously measures radon in plumes of volcanic gas. The system also allows measuring radon emissions near the top of the volcano, an area that was out of reach for soil samples in the winter.

A Kerlink Wirnet® Station at the Etna site collects data from LoRaWAN® nodes, which are connected to radon and meteorological sensors, and transmits the information via its embedded 3G backhaul, to the LoRa® server at Clermont-Ferrand in the French National Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics, where scientists analyze the data. 

“The radon sensors that send their data in near-real time, year-round, to the LoRaWAN® server in Clermont-Ferrand give volcanologists an unprecedented picture of what is happening at Etna,” said Laurent Royer, of Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont. This lab is a joint research unit of Clermont-Auvergne University (UCA), and the French National Center for Scientific Research(CNRS), which support the Etna project.

“This project not only highlights the diverse and vital concrete use cases enabled by LoRaWAN®networks, but also Kerlink’s position as a leading supplier of robust, high-performing gateways for those use cases,” said Stéphane Dejean, Kerlink CMO. “Wirnet gateways are enabling and powering multiple IoT projects in some of the most challenging and demanding environments on Earth.Our teams are very proud to be able to contribute to this type of scientific research-and-prevention project.” 

Quantum computing and related technologies like quantum AI are regarded as the next big wave after...
Groundbreaking solution simplifies AI inferencing for specialized and local applications.
Combining observability with experimentation and feature flags will help companies build...
Breaks down the barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving...
Findings from ‘Unlocking Growth in the Mid-Market: The Node4 Report’ point to a lack of...
Unveiled at the RSAC™ Conference, the 2025 LevelBlue Futures Report finds only 29% of executives...
Horizon River, a leading provider of premium technology is redefining network solutions with its...
A new survey commissioned by Expereo exposes the true roadblocks to UK AI plans - poor...