Volcanic Eruption

Within the projects SACS (Support to Aviation Control Service) and Exupéry (the mobile volcano fast response system, VFRS) SO2 total columns are retrieved from different space-borne instruments such as GOME-2, SCIAMACHY and OMI. The backward trajectory matching technique is applied to relate exceptional SO2 values to particular sources and volcanic regions. Additionally, the moment of the eruption as well as the emission and the plume height can be estimated. Dispersion modeling is applied to forecast the motion of the plume and to estimate the SO2emissions.

MODVOLC is a non-interactive algorithm developed at the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) that uses low spatial resolution (1-km pixel-size) infrared satellite data acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to map the global distribution of volcanic thermal anomalies in near-real-time. MODVOLC scans the Level-1B MODIS data stream, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, for evidence of pixel and sub-pixel-sized high-temperature radiators. Once a hot spot has been identified its details (location, emitted spectral radiance, time, satellite observation geometry) are written to ASCII text files and transferred via FTP to HIGP, from where the results are disseminated via the internet http://modis.higp.hawaii.edu). In this paper, we review the underlying principles upon which the algorithm is based before presenting some of the results and data that have been obtained since its inception. We show how MODVOLC reliably detects thermal…

Up-to-date, accurate topographic data are a crucial resource for volcanic research and risk mitigation efforts, in particular, for modeling volcanic flow processes at a detailed spatial resolution. In this paper, we examine the utility of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument currently operating on the NASA Terra satellite, which provides near infrared (VNIR) stereo imaging from which topography can be derived. We wrote software to generate digital elevation models (DEMs) from the ASTER level 1A product, which employs an automated stereo matching technique to calculate the parallax offsets between the images acquired by the nadir- and aft-looking sensors. Comparison of ASTER DEMs with DEMs derived from other sources (digitized 1:50 K topographic maps and aerial interferometric radar) at Ruapehu volcano reveal an RMS error of about 10 m for the ASTER DEM, in the absence of significant atmospheric water vapor. A qualitative…

Since the 1991 climactic eruption of Pinatubo in the Philippines, various hazards have affected areas surrounding the volcano. The most significant of these hazards involve the redeposition of pyroclastic flow and fall deposits as lahars, deposit-derived pyroclastic flows, and ash falls due to phreatic explosions. Many of these processes occurred in areas that are inaccessible for ground observation and monitoring. We describe here how sequential remote sensing data obtained over the period December 18, 1991, to November 1, 2001, from the SPOT, ERS, RADARSAT, SIR-C/X-SAR, AIRSAR, LANDSAT 7 ETM, and ASTER sensors provide a means of monitoring the decade-long development of the post-eruption Pinatubo landscape. This method represents an efficient and safe alternative to time-consuming, physically demanding and risky field campaigns. We apply principal component analysis, image subtraction, band ratioing, and density slicing to these data to track the changes in the post-…

The Bulusan volcano in the central Philippines has been ejecting ash and steam since since 6 November 2010. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC), at least 34 families, 205 persons, have already evacuated from Casiguran, Sorsogon so far.

Source: GLIDEnumber, News:XinHua

Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupted three times on Tuesday, causing thousands to flee; authorities had put an area 10 km around the crater on red alert Monday.

Source: GLIDEnumber

A case study about earthquake and vulcanian eruptions prediction .

Indonesia issued a red alert after the Sinabung volcano on the island of Sumatra erupted, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.

Although mount Sinabung's have spewed smoke and ash weaker than the first and the second day of eruption, the agency officials have not seen any signs to downgrade the alert status of the mount so far.

Australian Broadcasting Company says:  "There are still around 23,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), living in camps. And volcanologists say the situation remains at the alert level."

Source: glidenumber

Source: ABC

Contacts: 

UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER:

Focal Point:

Mr. Shirish Ravan
Email: …

Four people were killed in an eruption of Mount Karangetang in Sitaro Islands district, North Sulawesi province, early Friday.

Source: glidenumber

One of Indonesias most active volcanos erupted on Friday, sending lava and a searing gas cloud tumblingdown its slopes. At least four people have been confirmed dead, officials said, and several others were seriously hurt.

Mount Karangetang, located on Siau Island off the northern tip of Sulawesi, burst just after midnight when heavy rains broke the volcanos hot lava dome, spitting out 600-degree Celsius clouds of gas.

Ash and lava crashed down the mountains western slope, destroying at least seven houses, Priyadi Kardono, the spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), told the Jakarta Globe.

Source:…

Hundreds have been evacuated after Volcano Tungurahua started spewing ash columns.

 Source: glidenumber