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Intercomparison of remote sensing methods for field measurements of volcanic gas emissions

Santiago Arellano 1, Nicole Bobrowski2,3, Stefano Corradini4, Jonas Kuhn3, Alexander Nies5,3, Jorge Alcántara6, Patrick Allard7, Fredy Apaza6, Robin Campion8, Fabricio Carbajal9, Fernando Carballo9, Cristóbal González10, Lorenzo Guerrieri4, Silvana Hidalgo11, Christoph Kern12, Alessandro La Spina2, Susana Layana10, Allan Lerner12, Agnes Mazot13, Luca Merucci4, Daniel Ramírez6, Tjarda Roberts5, Giuseppe Salerno2, Catarina Silva14, Dario Stelitano4, Thomas Wilkes15, Charlotte Barrington16, Skye Kushner17, Carlos Laverde18, Ai Lun19, Linda Sobolewski20, Laura Wainman21, Simon Warnach3

  • Affiliations: 1Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden; 2Etna Observatory, National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Catania, Italy; 3Institute of Environmental Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; 4ONT, National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Rome, Italy; 5Laboratoire de Physique et de Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace, CNRS/University Orleans, Orleans, France; 6Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico, Arequipa, Peru; 7Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Paris, France; 8Instituto de Geofísica, UNAM, Mexico DF, Mexico; 9Observatorio Argentino de Vigilancia Volcánica, Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 10Millennium Institute on Volcanic Risk Research, Ckelar Volcanoes, Antofagasta, Chile; 11Instituto Geofísico, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador; 12Cascades Volcano Observatory, United States Geological Survey, Vancouver, USA; 13Wairakei Research Center, GNS Science, Taupo, New Zealand; 14IVAR/CIVISA, Azores, Portugal; 15School of Geography and Planning, University of Sheffield, UK; 16Earth Observatory of Singapore, Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; 17University of Alaska Fairbanks; Fairbanks, USA; 18Servicio Geológico Colombiano, Pasto, Colombia; 19GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany; 20Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; 21School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, UK.

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Friday 16:30 - 18:00, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 283

  • Programme No: 3.17.45

  • Theme 3 > Session 17

Abstract

Significant progress has been made, especially in the last 20 years, in the development of portable methods for remote sensing of volcanic gas emissions in the field. These tools help volcanologists to obtain, often in real-time, important information about the level and impact of volcanic activity, including plume composition, flux, location or speed. Some instruments measure the same variable but with different sensitivities, spatial or temporal resolution, while others may provide complementary information. Intercomparison between different methods is essential to ensure reproducibility of measurement results and to improve protocols and strategies for using complementary techniques. We present the results of an intercomparison exercise conducted at Sabancaya Volcano (Peru) on 10-11 November 2022, during the 14th Field Workshop of the IAVCEI Commission on the Chemistry of Volcanic Gases (CCVG). Measurements were taken by 12 groups with a variety of passive remote sensing techniques, using scattered light, solar occultation and thermal emission. Spectrometric and imaging equipment used non-dispersive, dispersive and interferometric techniques from the ultraviolet to thermal infrared regions. The results of independent evaluations reveal SO2 fluxes between 22 and 45 kg/s, molar ratios of 10-22 for SO2/HCl and of 34-53 for SO2/HF 34-53. Results from coincident measurements using the same technique show relatively good agreement, while some discrepancies are observed between the results of different techniques. Possible causes of disagreement will be analysed, including natural variability for non-coincident measurements, varying choices of calculation parameters, different spectral evaluation settings, or physical effects caused by light extinction from air or ash.