Smart City

Smart City Sentinel

Kerlink Powering IoT Radon-Monitoring System on Mount Etna

By Ken Briodagh

In a great case study 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, according to a recent release.

The recently deployed network linking Mount Etna on the east coast of Sicily to scientists in Clermont-Ferrand, France, 1,200 kilometers away, is designed to transmit radon measurement data in order to help 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 via on-site visits. This 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, according to the announcement. 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, 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, CMO, Kerlink. “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.” 

The volcanic research project received funding from the I-SITE Clermont CAP20-25 project and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), in partnership with Italian Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).


Ken Briodagh is a storyteller, writer and editor with about two decades of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.

Edited by Ken Briodagh
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]

Editorial Director

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Related Articles

'Smart Gas Meter Penetration Rate in Europe Reached 45% in 2023'

By: Alex Passett    3/13/2024

According to new data from Berg Insight, he installed base of smart gas meters in Europe amounted to 55.9 million in 2023, equivalent to a penetration…

Read More

Smarter Grid Planning and Operations: Itron Acquires Elpis Squard to Expand Grid Edge Intelligence Portfolio

By: Alex Passett    3/11/2024

To accelerate the energy transition needs for grid planning, operational and engineering teams and processes, Itron officially announced the strategic…

Read More

IoT Evolution Expo Gold Sponsor Libelium is Changing the Electric Grid with Smart DLR Solutions

By: Alex Passett    2/13/2024

IoT Evolution Expo 2024 is taking place from February 13-15 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Under the grand umbre…

Read More

A New Record for Connectivity: 'World's Longest-Range Wi-Fi HaLow Solution' Demonstrated by Morse Micro

By: Alex Passett    2/6/2024

Morse Micro recently announced the success of what it has called "the world's first live demonstration of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow technology extending t…

Read More

'The World's First Smart Rainforest': How NTT and ClimateForce Plan to Use Smart Technology for Environmental Restoration

By: Alex Passett    1/30/2024

ClimateForce and Smart Management Platform (SMP) technology company NTT have announced their partnership with the goal of creating the world's first "…

Read More