The Dynamics of Explosive Volcanism

Just like the pop of a Champagne bottle, the power that drives volcanic eruptions comes from gases contained in the magma. However, such gas measurements are inherently diffi cult to obtain and suffer from poor resolution. That’s why Dr. Euripides Kantzas and his colleagues pioneered the use of a revolutionary ultraviolet digital camera to measure volcanic gas and, in particular, sulfur dioxide. He then spent months on the volcanic island of Stromboli, where he used his camera to capture a truly unprecedented gas-based record of explosive volcanism.* This data was then combined with simultaneously acquired geophysical information in order to model the observed explosive behavior in far more detail than previously possible. Dr. Kantzas also developed a freely downloadable software interface to monitor his camera, an enormous benefi t for many developing countries where volcanic risks are high, yet monitoring budgets, low.
My research focuses on the use of state-of-the-art sensor technology in order to measure for the first time high temporal resolution sulphur dioxide volcanic emissions which can be correlated with geophysical data in order to better understand the underlying magmatic processes. Such insights will greatly contribute to the end-goal of volcanology which is the accurate forecasting of eruptions especially regarding volcanoes at close proximity to densely populated areas such as the volcanoes of southern Italy where the bulk of my field campaign will take place.

AN OPEN-SOURCE CAMERA TO MAP VOLCANIC GAS

Publications

UV camera measurements of fumarole field degassing (La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island)
Authors: G. Tamburello, E.P. Kantzas, A.J.S. McGonigle, A. Aiuppa and G.Giudice
Journal: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
Volume 199, Issues 1-2, Pg. 47-52, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.10.004

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