Some observations regarding the thermal flux from Earth’s erupting volcanoes for the period 2000 to 2014

Abstract:

This presentation will describe 15 years of MODIS observations of the thermal flux from Earth’s sub-aerially erupting volcanoes. The MODVOLC algorithm has been providing data regarding volcanic eruptions on Earth to the volcanological community since the launch of Terra MODIS, via the internet, in near-real-time (http:modis.higp.hawaii.edu). During this time, eruptions at 102 volcanoes have been observed, including activity associated with mafic lava flows, lava lakes, vent-based explosive activity and felsic lava domes. This presentation will present an overview of how MODIS has documented every eruption to occur on Earth since 2000, and will describe some of the more interesting result that have been obtained from the analysis of this archive. The total amount of energy radiated into the atmosphere can be divided into two parts: a baseline level of emission which has increased gradually over this 15 period, superimposed on which are large “spikes” attributable to large, lava-flow-forming eruptions. The most intense eruption during this period of time was the 2004 eruption of Nyamuragira, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, whilst the largest magnitude event was the 2012-2013 eruption of Tolbachik, Russia. Spatio-temporal patterns in thermal output will be addressed. Time-series analysis of heat flux from these 102 volcanoes has revealed while some volcanoes exhibit statistically significant periodicity in the magnitude of their heat output, many do not.