Identification, quantification, and mapping of chemicals and particulates
carried in air: Volcanic case studies at Kilauea, Hawaii, USA and Mt. Pinatubo, Phillipines
Kilauea, Hawaii During volcanic eruptions, extensive amounts of volcanic gasses and aerosols are spewed into the atmosphere. The
picture above shows Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii, erupting lava with accompanying billowing clouds of gasses and
aerosols. Such volcanic smog or "VOG" includes sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and aerosols. These
aerosols are actually quite similar to the aerosols found in urban regions. Such aerosols degrade lung function and
compromise immune systems.
Dataset: AVHRR Image credit: John Porter (analysis) and Pierre Flament (acquisition) Reference Characteristics: 5 bands, 1.1 km pixel, a subset of a larger 2700km swath width image Processing shown: false color, processed to enhance concentrations of VOG Notes: Both VOG and urban aerosols can be imaged using certain satellite imagery. This AVHRR satellite image is processed to show the track of a VOG plume for a one day period. Notice the large scale of this imagery. The movement of the VOG is obviously controlled by the wind patterns seen on a day to day basis though the trade winds tend to dominate (see figure above right). Such images are available on a day to day basis, so VOG can be closely monitored in space AND time. Mt. Pinatubo, Phillipines
At another volcano further across the Pacific, we see an example of the actual quantification of sulfur dioxide and aerosols
within volcanic eruption plumes. Mt. Pinatubo erupted on June 16, 1991. Using TOMS sattellite data (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer),
the plumes of gas and ash were monitored for several weeks post-eruption. SO2 concentration measurement in the volcanic plume on day of eruption Red colors show higher concentrations  Aerosol concentration in the volcanic plume on day of eruption 
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