Volcanic SO₂ fluxes derived from satellite data: a survey using OMI, GOME-2, IASI and MODIS

Theys, N.; Campion, R.; Clarisse, L.; Brenot, H.; van Gent, J.; Dils, B.; Corradini, S.; Merucci, L.; Coheur, P.-F.; Van Roozendael, M.; Hurtmans, D.; Clerbaux, C.; Tait, S. and Ferrucci, F. (2013). Volcanic SO₂ fluxes derived from satellite data: a survey using OMI, GOME-2, IASI and MODIS. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 13(12) pp. 5945–5968.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-5945-2013

Abstract

Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) fluxes of active degassing volcanoes are routinely measured with ground-based equipment to characterize and monitor volcanic activity. SO₂ of unmonitored volcanoes or from explosive volcanic eruptions, can be measured with satellites. However, remote-sensing methods based on absorption spectroscopy generally provide integrated amounts of already dispersed plumes of SO₂ and satellite derived flux estimates are rarely reported. Here we review a number of different techniques to derive volcanic SO₂ fluxes using satellite measurements of plumes of SO₂ and investigate the temporal evolution of the total emissions of SO₂ for three very different volcanic events in 2011: Puyehue-Cord´on Caulle (Chile), Nyamulagira (DR Congo) and Nabro (Eritrea). High spectral resolution satellite instruments operating both in the ultravioletvisible (OMI/Aura and GOME-2/MetOp-A) and thermal infrared (IASI/MetOp-A) spectral ranges, and multispectral satellite instruments operating in the thermal infrared (MODIS/Terra-Aqua) are used. We show that satellite data can provide fluxes with a sampling of a day or less (few hours in the best case). Generally the flux results from the different methods are consistent, and we discuss the advantages and weaknesses of each technique. Although the primary objective of this study is the calculation of SO₂ fluxes, it also enables us to assess the consistency of the SO₂ products from the different sensors used.

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About

• Item ORO ID
• 38757
• Item Type
• Journal Item
• ISSN
• 1680-7324
• Project Funding Details

• Funded Project Name	Project ID	Funding Body
  Not Set	Not Set	European Union FP7
  Not Set	Not Set	ESA (European Space Agency)

• Keywords
• Sulphur dioxide; Volcanoes; Mass fluxes; Earth Observation; GOME-2; IASI; MODIS; OMI
• Academic Unit or School
• Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences
  Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
• Copyright Holders
• © 2013 The Authors
• Depositing User
• Astrid Peterkin