Remote sensing of volcanic ash hazards to aircraft

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-1-1991

Department

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Abstract

The Alaskan eruptions of Augustine Volcano (1986) and Redoubt Volcano (1989-90) were major hazards to air traffic at Anchorage, along a major polar air route. Detailed examinations were made of multispectral imagery collected by the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) aboard polar orbiting NOAA weather satellites. More than 70 images of eruptions from the two volcanoes, which exhibit a great variety of eruptive and atmospheric conditions have been examined. The data set offers an elaborate test of the utility of synoptic weather satellites for discriminating and tracking eruption clouds. The results so far are very encouraging, demonstrating a success in discrimination and mapping of eruption clouds under a variety of conditions. The two eruptions have different spectral characteristics, which have precluded the use of a single algorithm to discriminate eruption clouds from meteorological ones. Laboratory spectral study of ashes collected from the field are being used to help understand differing spectral characteristics of ash clouds as detected by the AVHRR.

Publication Title

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

ISBN

0819406015,9780819406019

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