Ground-based Infrared Monitoring Provides New Tool for Remote Tracking of Volcanic Activity

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Print Version (2096428 bytes) EOS, TRANSACTIONS AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, VOL. 84, NO. 40, doi:10.1029/2003EO400001, 2003 Ground-based Infrared Monitoring Provides New Tool for Remote Tracking of Volcanic Activity Andrew Harris HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Jeffery Johnson HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Keith Horton HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Harold Garbeil HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Hans Ramm HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Eric Pilger HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Luke Flynn HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Peter Mouginis-Mark HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i U.S.A. Dawn Pirie The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Steve Donegan The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Dave Rothery The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Maurizio Ripepe Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy Emanuele Marchetti Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy Abstract Thermal monitoring of active volcanoes has long been the domain of satellite and airborne remote sensing (for reviews of current capabilities, see Harris et al., [2002]). However, ground-based thermal sensors offer considerable benefits in that (1) they can be located beneath cloud decks that prohibit aerial views; (2) they allow small thermal targets to be resolved; (3) they observe targets with a constant viewing geometry for long periods of time; and (4) they provide data at high sample rates (tens to hundreds of Hz). This latter capability is extremely attractive when tracking transient or rapidly evolving events, such as volcanic explosions. In addition, when used in conjunction with other geophysical data sets, thermal time series reveal clues as to the manner in which a volcanic system is erupting. Consider, for example, an explosion. The thermal and infrasonic signals will propagate from the explosion source at different velocities. The delay between the arrival of the two signals atco-located thermal and infrasonic sensors can thus be used to constrain source depth and/or the velocity at which the ejecta shell is travelling [Ripepe et al., 2002]. However, permanent, continuously recording, ground-based thermal sensors are a rare sight at active volcanoes. Reasons for this include cost, system failure due to the harsh volcanic environment, vandalism, and/or destruction during violent volcanic and weather-related events. However, technology has now advanced to a point at which it is possible to build inexpensive, robust, expendable thermal monitoring systems for deployment on active volcanoes. Over the last 5 years, such a system has been designed and tested at several active volcanoes. This has allowed us to use this new volcano monitoring tool to identify volcanic activity styles and achieve real-time event tracking. Index Terms: 8494 Volcanology: Instruments and techniques; 8419 Volcanology: Eruption monitoring (7280). Print Version (2096428 bytes) Citation: Harris, A., et al. (2003), Ground-based Infrared Monitoring Provides New Tool for Remote Tracking of Volcanic Activity, Eos Trans. AGU, 84(40), doi:10.1029/2003EO400001. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.

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