Measuring thermal budgets of active volcanoes by satellite remote sensing

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 338; no. 6211; pp. 144 - 146
• Main Authors: Glaze, L., Francis, P. W., Rothery, D. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Legacy CDMS Nature Publishing 09-03-1989; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Geophysics; Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc; Remote sensing; Satellites; Volcanoes; Infrared surveys; Instruments; Landsat; Prediction; Balance; Fumaroles; Volcanism; Heat flux; Monitoring; Remote sensing
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/338144a0

Thematic Mapper measurements of the total radiant energy flux Q at Lascar volcano in north Chile for December 1984 are reported. The results are consistent with the earlier suggestion that a lava lake is the source of a reported thermal budget anomaly, and with values for 1985-1986 that are much lower, suggesting that fumarolic activity was then a more likely heat source. The results show that satellite remote sensing may be used to monitor the activity of a volcano quantitatively, in a way not possible by conventional ground studies, and may provide a method for predicting eruptions.