Topographic and Thermal Mapping of Volcanic Terrain Using the AVTIS Ground-Based 94-GHz Dual-Mode Radar/Radiometric Imager

• Published in: IEEE transactions on geoscience and remote sensing Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 455 - 472
• Main Authors: Macfarlane, D. G., Odbert, H. M., Robertson, D. A., James, M. R., Pinkerton, H., Wadge, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-01-2013; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied geophysics; Crystalline rocks; Digital elevation models; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Igneous and metamorphic rocks petrology, volcanic processes, magmas; Instruments; Internal geophysics; millimeter-wave (MMW) imaging; MMW propagation; MMW radar; Radar measurements; Radiometry; Receivers; Surfaces; terrain mapping; Volcanoes; MMW radar; models; terrain mapping; domes; topography; surveys; volcanoes; remote sensing; MMW propagation; quality; lava; extrusions; instruments; propagation; millimeter-wave (MMW) imaging; surface temperature; imagery; radiometry; radar methods; Digital elevation models
• ISSN: 0196-2892; 1558-0644
• DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2012.2202667

The All-Weather Volcano Topography Imaging Sensor remote sensing instrument is a custom-built millimeter-wave (MMW) sensor that has been developed as a practical field tool for remote sensing of volcanic terrain at active lava domes. The portable instrument combines active and passive MMW measurements to record topographic and thermal data in almost all weather conditions from ground-based survey points. We describe how the instrument is deployed in the field, the quality of the primary ranging and radiometric measurements, and the postprocessing techniques used to derive the geophysical products of the target terrain, surface temperature, and reflectivity. By comparison of changing topography, we estimate the volume change and the lava extrusion rate. Validation of the MMW radiometry is also presented by quantitative comparison with coincident infrared thermal imagery.