Remote Sensing of Volcanic Eruptions: From Aviation Hazards to Global Cooling

Of the many natural hazards associated with tectonic plate boundaries and geothermal hot spots, volcanoes are of significant interest not only to geologists and volcanologists, but also to atmospheric scientists. Explosive volcanic eruptions are capricious in nature and are able to eject millions of tonnes of hazardous particles and gases into the atmosphere in a matter of hours. Atmospheric scientists study the impact of such processes on climate and aviation safety. As eruptions can occur with little or no warning and often in remote locations, both timely and global observations are required. Earth-observing satellites are well suited to this task. Since the late 1970s, volcanic clouds composed mainly of SO₂ and silicate particles (ash) have been observed and researched through the analysis of remotely sensed data. A short history and qualitative description of common retrieval methods applied to satellite measurements of ash and SO₂ are presented. The associated impacts of volcanic eruptions on the global aviation industry and radiative effects on climate are reviewed and discussed in the context of satellite remote sensing. From this discussion, current and future perspectives are given as well as suggestions for further research.