Volcano monitoring using short wavelength infrared data from satellites

• Main Authors: Rothery, D. A., Francis, P. W., Wood, C. A.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1988
• Subjects: 46; Mount Erebus; Markham; Lava Lakes; Erta; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880059058

It is shown that Landsat TM and MSS data provide useful and sometimes unique information on magmatic and fumarolic events at poorly monitored active volcanoes. The digital number data recorded in each spectral band by TM and MSS can be converted into spectral radiance, measured in W/sq m per micron per sr, using calibration data such as those provided by Markham and Barker (1986) and can provide temperature information on the lava fountain, lava lakes, pahoehoe flows, blocky lava, pyroclastic flow, and fumarole. The examples of Landsat data documenting otherwise unobserved precursors and/or activity include the September 1986 eruption of Lascar volcano, Chile; the continued presence of lava lakes at Erta 'Ale, Ethiopia (in the absence of any ground-based observations); and minor eruptions at Mount Erebus, Antarctica.