Earth Observation Data Group

Abstract:

Satellite remote sensing is a valuable method for detecting and quantifying sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions at volcanoes. The use of ultra‐violet satellite instruments for monitoring purposes has been assessed in numerous studies, but there are advantages to using infrared measurements, including that they can operate at night and during high latitude winters. This study focuses on the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). Retrievals developed for this instrument have been shown to be successful when applied to large eruptions, but little has been done to explore their potential for detecting and quantifying emissions from smaller and lower altitude emissions or for the assessment of ongoing activity. Here, a ‘fast’ linear retrieval has been applied across the globe to detect volcanic sources of SO2. The results are dominated by emissions from explosive eruptions, but signals are also evident from weak eruptions, passive degassing, and anthropogenic activity. Ecuador and Kamchatka were selected for further study with a more processing intensive iterative retrieval which can quantify the SO2 amount. At Tungurahua in Ecuador, good agreement was seen between IASI, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground based flux data, demonstrating that the retrieval is capable of capturing relative changes in activity. Similarly, good agreement was found between IASI and OMI in Kamchatka. In this high latitude region, OMI is unable to operate for three or four months in each year. It is therefore suggested that IASI could be used alongside other instruments for evaluating changes in volcanic activity.

Abstract:

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Abstract:

Aims. We aim to analyse real-time Perseid and Leonid meteor spectra using a novel calibration-free (CF) method, which is usually applied in the laboratory for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopic (LIBS) chemical analysis. Methods. Reference laser ablation spectra of specimens of chondritic meteorites were measured in situ simultaneously with a high-resolution laboratory echelle spectrograph and a spectral camera for meteor observation. Laboratory data were subsequently evaluated via the CF method and compared with real meteor emission spectra. Additionally, spectral features related to airglow plasma were compared with the spectra of laser-induced breakdown and electric discharge in the air. Results. We show that this method can be applied in the evaluation of meteor spectral data observed in real time. Specifically, CF analysis can be used to determine the chemical composition of meteor plasma, which, in the case of the Perseid and Leonid meteors analysed in this study, corresponds to that of the C-group of chondrites.