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Volcanic ash concentration during the 12 August 2011 Etna eruption
Author(s) -
Scollo Simona,
Boselli Antonella,
Coltelli Mauro,
Leto Giuseppe,
Pisani Gianluca,
Prestifilippo Michele,
Spinelli Nicola,
Wang Xuan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl063027
Subject(s) - volcano , volcanic ash , plume , explosive eruption , geology , vulcanian eruption , impact crater , lidar , radius , submarine volcano , atmospheric sciences , geochemistry , meteorology , magma , remote sensing , geography , physics , astronomy , computer security , computer science
Mount Etna, in Italy, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and an ideal laboratory to improve volcano ash monitoring and forecasting. During the volcanic episode on 12 August 2011, an eruption column rose up to several kilometers above sea level (asl), and the volcanic plume dispersed to the southeast. From the video‐surveillance system, we were able to estimate variations in the column height (peak value of 9.5 ± 0.5 km above sea level) with time. We derived the time‐varying discharge rate (peak value of 60 m 3 s −1 ) and determined the ash concentration using a volcanic ash dispersal model. The modeled ash concentration was compared with lidar measurements using different particle effective radius, and differences are within the error bars. Volcanic ash concentrations range from 0.5 to 35.5 × 10 −3 g m −3 . The comparison highlights that to improve volcanic ash forecasting during volcanic crises it is necessary to take into account the time‐varying discharge rate of explosive eruptions.