Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala
Fuego volcano (Guatemala) is one of the most active and hazardous volcanoes in the world. Its persistent activity generates lava flows, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), and lahars that threaten the surrounding areas and produce frequent morphological change. Fuego’s eruption deposits a...
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doaj-ba51b29f4d58428484ce92bb300b79dc2020-11-25T01:32:28ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922019-09-011118215110.3390/rs11182151rs11182151Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, GuatemalaAnna Aldeghi0Simon Carn1Rudiger Escobar-Wolf2Gianluca Groppelli3Department of Geological and Mining and Engineering Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USADepartment of Geological and Mining and Engineering Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USADepartment of Geological and Mining and Engineering Sciences, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USAIstituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria-sez. di Milano, C.N.R, 20131 Milano, ItalyFuego volcano (Guatemala) is one of the most active and hazardous volcanoes in the world. Its persistent activity generates lava flows, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), and lahars that threaten the surrounding areas and produce frequent morphological change. Fuego’s eruption deposits are often rapidly eroded or remobilized by heavy rains and its constant activity and inaccessible terrain makes ground-based assessment of recent eruptive deposits very challenging. Earth-orbiting satellites can provide unique observations of volcanoes during eruptive activity, when ground-based techniques may be too hazardous, and also during inter-eruptive phases, but have typically been hindered by relatively low spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we use a new source of Earth observation data for volcano monitoring: high resolution (~3 m pixel size) images acquired from a constellation of over 150 CubeSats (‘Doves’) operated by Planet Labs Inc. The Planet Labs constellation provides high spatial resolution at high cadence (<1−72 h), permitting space-based tracking of volcanic activity with unprecedented detail. We show how PlanetScope images collected before, during, and after an eruption can be applied for mapping ash clouds, PDCs, lava flows, or the analysis of morphological change. We assess the utility of the PlanetScope data as a tool for volcano monitoring and rapid deposit mapping that could assist volcanic hazard mitigation efforts in Guatemala and other active volcanic regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/18/2151satellite remote sensingvolcano monitoringash falllava flowspyroclastic density currentsmappingvolcanic hazard |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Anna Aldeghi Simon Carn Rudiger Escobar-Wolf Gianluca Groppelli |
spellingShingle |
Anna Aldeghi Simon Carn Rudiger Escobar-Wolf Gianluca Groppelli Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala Remote Sensing satellite remote sensing volcano monitoring ash fall lava flows pyroclastic density currents mapping volcanic hazard |
author_facet |
Anna Aldeghi Simon Carn Rudiger Escobar-Wolf Gianluca Groppelli |
author_sort |
Anna Aldeghi |
title |
Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala |
title_short |
Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala |
title_full |
Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala |
title_fullStr |
Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala |
title_full_unstemmed |
Volcano Monitoring from Space Using High-Cadence Planet CubeSat Images Applied to Fuego Volcano, Guatemala |
title_sort |
volcano monitoring from space using high-cadence planet cubesat images applied to fuego volcano, guatemala |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Remote Sensing |
issn |
2072-4292 |
publishDate |
2019-09-01 |
description |
Fuego volcano (Guatemala) is one of the most active and hazardous volcanoes in the world. Its persistent activity generates lava flows, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), and lahars that threaten the surrounding areas and produce frequent morphological change. Fuego’s eruption deposits are often rapidly eroded or remobilized by heavy rains and its constant activity and inaccessible terrain makes ground-based assessment of recent eruptive deposits very challenging. Earth-orbiting satellites can provide unique observations of volcanoes during eruptive activity, when ground-based techniques may be too hazardous, and also during inter-eruptive phases, but have typically been hindered by relatively low spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we use a new source of Earth observation data for volcano monitoring: high resolution (~3 m pixel size) images acquired from a constellation of over 150 CubeSats (‘Doves’) operated by Planet Labs Inc. The Planet Labs constellation provides high spatial resolution at high cadence (<1−72 h), permitting space-based tracking of volcanic activity with unprecedented detail. We show how PlanetScope images collected before, during, and after an eruption can be applied for mapping ash clouds, PDCs, lava flows, or the analysis of morphological change. We assess the utility of the PlanetScope data as a tool for volcano monitoring and rapid deposit mapping that could assist volcanic hazard mitigation efforts in Guatemala and other active volcanic regions. |
topic |
satellite remote sensing volcano monitoring ash fall lava flows pyroclastic density currents mapping volcanic hazard |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/18/2151 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT annaaldeghi volcanomonitoringfromspaceusinghighcadenceplanetcubesatimagesappliedtofuegovolcanoguatemala AT simoncarn volcanomonitoringfromspaceusinghighcadenceplanetcubesatimagesappliedtofuegovolcanoguatemala AT rudigerescobarwolf volcanomonitoringfromspaceusinghighcadenceplanetcubesatimagesappliedtofuegovolcanoguatemala AT gianlucagroppelli volcanomonitoringfromspaceusinghighcadenceplanetcubesatimagesappliedtofuegovolcanoguatemala |
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