Title: Near real-time monitoring of the April-May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull ash cloud: an example of a web-based, satellite data-driven, reporting system

Authors: P. Labazuy; M. Gouhier; A. Harris; Y. Guéhenneux; M. Hervo; J.C. Bergès; P. Fréville; P. Cacault; S. Rivet

Addresses: Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' Laboratoire de Météorologie Physique, CNRS, Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' PRODIG, UMR 8586, CNRS, Université Paris 1, Paris, France ' Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, CNRS Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, CNRS Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France ' Observatoire de Physique du Globe de Clermont-Ferrand, CNRS Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France

Abstract: During the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano (Iceland) we set up a system designed to ingest satellite data and output volcanic ash cloud products. The system (HVOS = HotVolc Observing System) ingested on-reception data provided every 15 minutes by the SEVIRI sensor flown aboard the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite. Data were automatically processed and posted on the web to provide plume location maps, as well as to extract plume metrics (cloud top height and mass flux), in near-real time. Given the closing speeds for aircraft approaching such hazardous ash clouds, reporting delays for such products have to be minimised.

Keywords: remote sensing; near real time monitoring; volcanic crisis; SEVIRI; LiDAR; Eyjafjallajökull eruption; Iceland; volcanic ash clouds; volcanoes; Icelandic volcano; web based reporting; satellite data; plume location maps; ash cloud monitoring; plume metrics; cloud top height; mass flux.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2012.049673

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2012 Vol.48 No.1/2/3/4, pp.262 - 272

Published online: 19 Nov 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article