New research methods that use satellite data can detect volcanic eruptions years ahead of schedule.
In a recent study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks said that large-scale thermal turbulence was measured using a statistical analysis of satellite-based infrared. revealed long-wavelength data. the last magmatic and steam eruptions of five different volcanoes have been preceded by years of, albeit subtle, large-scale increases in their ‘radiant heat flow’.
‘ENORMOUS’ DEPARTURE DRESSES ST. VINCENT LIKE VOLKANO ERUPTING
Although there are already recognizable signals that a volcano is likely to erupt, including seismic activity, changes in gas release and sudden deformation of the ground, accurate predictions are tricky.
In addition, no two volcanoes are exactly the same, and few of the world’s active volcanoes have the necessary monitoring capability.
“Volcanoes are like a box of mixed chocolates: it may look like it, but inside there is a lot of variety between them and sometimes even within the same,” JPL’s Paul Lundgren, co-author of the study, said Tuesday. release of the space agency. “In addition, only a few volcanoes are well monitored and some of the most dangerous volcanoes are the least explosive, meaning you can not rely heavily on historical records.”
Seismologists were able to find the inhabitants of St. Vincent orders the evacuation of the ‘red zone’ around the volcano La Soufriere on the island due to increased seismic activity a few hours before its eruption on Friday.
Ash rises in the sky when the volcano La Soufriere on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (AP Photo / Orvil Samuel)
The director of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Center, Erouscilla Joseph, told Fox News that the team began seeing the first seismic quake in the area early on Thursday morning.
NASA explained that the team of scientists analyzed more than 16 years of radiant heat data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) instruments aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites.
The release also notes that the researchers’ conclusions were uniform, despite the differences in the forms of volcanic eruptions being investigated.
“In the years leading up to an eruption, the radiant surface temperature over a large part of the volcano rose by about 1 degree Celsius from its normal state. It decreased after each eruption,” the agency wrote and later added that the scientists theorize the heat increase. may result from the interaction between magma reservoirs and hydrothermal systems.
“We attribute large-scale thermal turbulence to the improvement of subterranean hydrothermal activity, and suggest that such analysis of satellite-based infrared observations could improve the volcanic budget constraints of volcanoes, improve early detection of eruption conditions, and assess volcanic alarm levels. , “the summary of the question paper was concluded.
Now the scientists will test their method on more volcanoes.
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Fine-tuning their method and using what they have learned to complement existing tools can save lives.
“One of the goals is to one day have a tool that can be used near real-time to observe volcanic activity in volcanic areas,” lead author Társilo Girona told NASA. “Even for small eruptions, there is evidence of thermal turbulence before the onset of the eruption event. The new method helps us to get a little closer to the goal.”