Estimating the volcanic emission rate and atmospheric lifetime of SO2 from space: a case study for Kīlauea volcano, Hawai'i
We present an analysis of SO2 column densities derived from GOME-2 satellite measurements for the Kīlauea volcano (Hawai`i) for 2007–2012. During a period of enhanced degassing activity in March–November 2008, monthly mean SO2 emission rates and effective SO2 lifetimes are determined simultaneously from the observed downwind plume evolution and meteorological wind fields, without further model input. Kīlauea is particularly suited for quantitative investigations from satellite observations owing to the absence of interfering sources, the clearly defined downwind plumes caused by steady trade winds, and generally low cloud fractions. For March–November 2008, the effective SO2 lifetime is 1–2 days, and Kīlauea SO2 emission rates are 9–21 kt day−1, which is about 3 times higher than initially reported from ground-based monitoring systems.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2014 |
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Title | Estimating the volcanic emission rate and atmospheric lifetime of SO2 from space: a case study for Kīlauea volcano, Hawai'i |
DOI | 10.5194/acp-14-8309-2014 |
Authors | Steffen Beirle, Christoph Hörmann, Malouse Penning de Vries, Stefan Dörner, Christoph Kern, Thomas Wagner |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
Index ID | 70138541 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Volcano Hazards Program; Volcano Science Center |