The collaboration between the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and the Speleological Group CAI Fabriano (GSF) was established with the aim of clarifying from a physical point of view-modeling certain phenomena observed in karst cavities of the complex the Frasassi caves. The surveying of the sections explored by the cavers team, including a myriad of tunnels and caves show, mainly two tunnel systems: the Grotta Grande del Vento and the Galleria del Buco Cattivo separated by a apparently compact limestone of considerable thickness of about 120 m. This paper will present the experiments conducted between the two tunnels in order to predict the presence of additional cavities, or whether it is a compact thick, variously fractured or porous. The multi-disciplinary work deals with transport and diffusion of aerosol, radio and acoustic propagation models with the purpose to interpret and validate the experiments conducted by the GSF. The work will also cover the geological framework of the area, the speleogenesis of karst, caving evidence and experimental data to propose numerical-analytical models of aerosol diffusion, radio and acoustic propagation. The results obtained so far do not give a definite conclusion about the presence of other cavities but are a necessary methodology for other experiments and future research.

Published: 2021-09-28