Title: Satellite analysis and mesoscale behaviour of volcanic plumes and gas from Miyakejima, Japan

Authors: Naoko Iino, Toshiaki Yano, Kisei Kinoshita, Megumi Koyamada, Shuichi Torii

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890–0065, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890–0065, Japan. ' Faculty of Education, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890–0065, Japan. ' Faculty of Education, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890–0065, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Kuamamoto University, Kuamamoto, 860-8555, Japan

Abstract: Miyakejima plumes of ash-rich and vapour-rich clouds were detected well by the NOAA/AVHRR data, and the height of eruption cloud on 29 August 2000 was estimated reasonably using the brightness temperature at 11 µm of NOAA/AVHRR and the upper air data taking into account the effect of ash emissivity. We found two different mechanisms which bring the high concentration SO₂ to the mainland of Japan: convective daytime mixing brings gas down to the surface, after advection from Miyakejima in the upper air by winds associated with high pressure system; and the volcanic gas descends to the island surface in strong winds associated with stationary fronts and low pressure systems.

Keywords: eruption clouds; NOAA/AVHRR; sulphur dioxide; volcanic ash; Japan; satellite analysis; mesoscale behaviour; volcanic plumes; volcanic gas; Miyakejima volcano.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2004.005585

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2004 Vol.4 No.3, pp.253 - 265

Published online: 21 Oct 2004 *

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