Sulfur Dioxide Image Galleries
AIRS Volcanic Images Archive at JPL
AIRS Volcanic Image Archive
Here we present volcanic eruption images generated from
Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) data. AIRS is a hyperspectral imager on the EOS/Aqua
satellite, launched in May 2002, and its ~13.5 km footprint provides higher spatial
resolution than TOMS. As an infrared sensor it also produces nighttime images of volcanic
clouds, unlike TOMS. AIRS volcanic cloud studies are a collaborative effort between the
TOMS group and the Atmospheric Spectroscopy Laboratory (L. Larrabee Strow, Director) in the Department of Physics at
UMBC. The list will be populated over time and quantitative retrievals will be added when
available.
Images presented in the
SO2 column below are either bias difference images (in Kelvin) or quantitative
SO2 retrievals (in
Dobson Units [DU] or Milli atm cm). The former are generated by first calculating
the brightness temperature difference (BTD) between the observed AIRS profiles (containing
the volcanic signal) and profiles
generated from European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) model data,
and then calculating the difference in this bias between 2 AIRS channels - one sensitive
to SO2 and the other insensitive. The larger the bias difference, the stronger
the volcanic signal. Images in the
Ash/Aerosols column similarly show bias difference images produced using channels sensitive to
ash and sulfate aerosol, or quantitative ash retrievals. A triangular symbol marks the location of
the source volcano. For further information please contact us.
| Volcano |
Date |
SO2 |
Ash/Aerosols |
Days tracked |
Notes/Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aoba, Vanuatu |
Nov 25, 2017 |
|
|
|
Eruption started on Mar 25. |
| Agung, Bali, Java, Indonesia |
Nov 25, 2017 |
|
|
|
Eruption started on Nov 25 sending ash up to 4 km. The center of mass height is up ot 8 km on Monday, Dec 4. |
|
Pavlof, Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
March 29, 2016 |
| |
|
Erupted on Mar 27 at about 4pm. Ash went up to 7-9 km, based on CALIOP data, with a 400 mile long plume to the NE over Alaska.
| |
|
Calbuco, Chile |
April 23, 2015 |
| |
|
Calbuco volcano, in central Chile, began erupting on April 22, 2015 at approximately 2138 UTC with a second eruption at 0408 UTC on April 23, 2015. AIRS and OMPS provided the best plume coverage for volcanic SO2 and mass estimates are 0.2 Tg and 0.24 Tg respectively, in the first overpasses following the eruption. A CALIPSO overpass on April 23, 2015 shows that the plume reached an altitude of 17-19 km before being transported to the northeast towards Buenos Aires by ambient meteorology.
| |
|
Pavlof, Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
November 12, 2014 |
| |
|
| Eruption began on Nov 12 and on the 15th, the ash clouds were high enough to disrupt air traffic. |
| Bárðabunga, Iceland |
August 31, 2014 |
Sep 9 0123 UTC Sep 9 0617 UTC Sep 9 0759 UTC Sep 9 0929 UTC |
|
| Bárðabunga erupted on Aug 31 between 0300-0445 UTC. The eruption occured 40km N/NE of the central vent location. |
| Sangiang Api, Lesser Sunda Islands |
May 30, 2014 |
| |
|
| Erupted on May 30, sending volcanic ash at least up to 12 miles. AIRS sees 21.1614 kilotons fo SO2. |
| Kelut, Java, Indonesia |
February 13, 2014 |
|
|
|
It was a short-lived eruption on Feb 13, 2014, around 1615 UTC with a mixture of gas, ash and water. A plume moved west over the Indian Ocean. |
|
Etna, Sicily, Italy |
December 3, 2013 |
Dec 3 des |
|
|
Eruption started on Nov 23rd and is continuing. |
| Tolbachik, Kamchatka, Russian Federation |
November 27, 2013 |
|
|
|
Eruption started on Nov 27th and is continuing to this day, Dec 19th. |
| Etna, Sicily, Italy |
March 5, 2013 |
Mar 5 day |
|
|
About 8 kilotons of SO2 emitted at night and about 1.4 kilotons in the day. |
| Merapi, Java, Indonesia |
November 2-14, 2010 |
|
|
|
The eruption began on October 25, 2010. On November 4, spewed ash up to 5 km. |
| Grimsvotn, Iceland |
November 2, 2004 |
From Fred Prata |
|
|
The eruption began on November 1, 2004. |
| October 24, 2004 |
|
|
|
Gas and ash emissions from an eruption on October 24, during which pyroclastic flows entered the ocean (Manam is a small island). |
|
| Asama, Japan |
September 1, 2004 |
|
|
|
Small gas cloud from an eruption at around 1100UT on September 1. |
| Galeras, Colombia |
August 12, 2004 |
|
|
|
Emissions from a small eruption on August 12. |
| Bromo, Indonesia |
June 8, 2004 |
|
|
|
Emissions from an eruption on June 8. |
| Shiveluch, Kamchatka |
May 10, 2004 |
|
|
|
Little SO2 apparent. |
| Nyamuragira, DR Congo |
May 8, 2004 |
|
|
|
Some SO2 may be sourced from Nyiragongo, which is also currently active. |
| Bezymianny, Kamchatka |
January 14, 2004 |
|
|
|
Small cloud produced by an eruption at around 2300UT on January 13. |
| July 13, 2003 |
|
|
|
This SO2 cloud was produced by explosions at the climax of a major dome collapse on July 12. Little ash was apparent in the cloud. |
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- Last Updated: 2022-01-11